Shared e-scooters and e-bikes officially hit the streets of Kamloops Monday, marking a major expansion in local transportation options and the start of a new partnership between the City of Kamloops and Bird Canada.

A total of 255 e-scooters and 45 e-bikes will be gradually deployed across the city, with initial rollout focused on high-demand areas such as the downtown core and the Tranquille Market Corridor.

For Bird Canada General Manager Pat Graham, the launch represents both a transportation milestone and a Canadian business success story.

“We’re super excited to be serving the residents of Kamloops,” Graham said. “There’s been a lot of work that’s gone in from the city level as well as ourselves to make sure that we launch a system that is reliable and safe for users — but also not something that’s cumbersome for people who don’t want to use the system.”

A Canadian Company with a Global Footprint

Though Bird operates internationally, Graham emphasized that the company is Canadian-owned and headquartered in Toronto.

“Bird Canada launched in 2019 with a group of Toronto investors with a licence to operate the Bird technology in Canada — think of it like a franchisee model,” he explained.

When the global Bird company encountered financial difficulties in 2023, the Canadian investor group stepped in. Through Toronto-based Third Lane Mobility, they acquired control of Bird Global.

“The global company is actually headquartered out of Toronto,” Graham said. “We operate in Tel Aviv, Rome, L.A., New York — and that’s all run out of Toronto. It’s a Canadian-owned and operated company with a global footprint, which is a cool story to tell.”

Addressing Safety and Clutter Concerns

The rollout comes after years of discussion locally about whether shared micromobility would work safely in Kamloops. Concerns about sidewalk clutter, improper parking and rider safety have been central to the debate.

Graham said today’s program is very different from early e-scooter rollouts seen elsewhere in Canada and the U.S.

“This program will be very different than maybe others of its kind that launched earlier on,” he said. “We’ll have designated parking stations. Users will only be able to end or start rides in pre-approved locations that the city has approved.”

That means riders cannot simply leave devices wherever they choose.

“If you do that, you will receive a fine,” Graham said. “That should cut down significantly on some of the parking complaints and clutter that we’ve heard and witnessed in other municipalities.”

He noted that technology has evolved considerably since 2019, when some early systems allowed users to park almost anywhere.

“As we know, that created a lot of frustration — rightfully so,” he said.

The Kamloops system will use geofenced parking zones, and riders must end their trip within approved “parking nests.” Designated parking mats will also be installed in high-use areas.

Safety Measures Built In

On the issue of safety, Graham was unequivocal.

“Safety is the number one thing that we do. If we can’t provide a safe system, we can’t provide a system at all,” he said.

While headlines across Canada have sometimes focused on rising incident numbers, Graham said the broader data tells a different story.

“In terms of incidents per trip, it has been going down every single year,” he said. “Sometimes there are headlines around safety incidents increasing, but if you look at it as a percentage of trips, it’s actually going down each and every year.”

He added that shared fleets offer more oversight than privately owned devices.

“For a shared program like ours, we’re able to have a significant amount more control of the devices,” he said.

Those controls include:

• A maximum speed of 20 km/h

• Reduced speeds in designated areas

• Helmets affixed to devices

• Free personal helmets available upon request

Riders must be 16 or older, wear a helmet, obey traffic laws, and ride only on roads with speed limits of 50 km/h or less unless using a designated cycling lane. Sidewalk riding and carrying passengers are prohibited.

The program operates under B.C.’s Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Project Regulation within the Motor Vehicle Act.

Supporting Climate and Transportation Goals

City officials say the service aligns with Kamloops’ broader transportation strategy.

“The service supports the City’s transportation and climate goals by reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles, easing congestion during peak periods, and encouraging everyday outdoor physical movement,” said Purvez Irani, the City’s transportation manager.

Shared micromobility can also help connect riders to transit and local businesses, filling short “last-mile” gaps between destinations.

How to Ride

Residents can download the Bird app to locate and unlock nearby e-scooters or e-bikes. Trips must end in designated parking stations identified in the app.

To celebrate the launch, first-time users can enter the promo code RIDEKAM for a free ride.

More information and FAQs are available at Kamloops.ca/Escooters.