Kelowna residents may not see e-scooter sharing around the city anytime soon.
That’s because Kelowna’s city council voted to wait and see if the provincial government will allow e-scooters to get on the roads, like bicycles, or not. In the event that the province greenlights e-scooters on the roads like bicycles, the city’s sharing program still may not make a comeback because of COVID-19.
Currently, the city’s e-scooter program is not in operation due to the pandemic. The program may not be coming back soon, but those who have their own e-scooter can still ride them around the city, provided they use them on walkways and other areas the city has designated for scooter use, including the Rail Trail and the Mission Creek Greenway.
“The e-scooter program will return once the province opens up the city’s road network. Scooters will still (be) allowed on the waterfront walkway and Bernard Avenue (when that happens),” Mayor Colin Basran said.
The issue was brought back to council this week after councillors were confused about the staff report on shared micro-mobility - the use of e-scooters and other smaller modes of transportation - in the city.
But for the time being, the answer is clear: there will be no shared e-scooters in Kelowna until the provincial government says otherwise and until COVID-19 lets up.
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