Kelowna is a Canadian city of 145,000 people roughly halfway between Vancouver and Calgary. Last year, Kelowna was selected as one of six pilot communities to test the use of e-scooters in British Columbia. The City currently has three operators offering shared e-scooters and e-bikes under their Shared Micromobility Permit Program. There were more than 250,000 rides logged in 2021 on an average fleet of 300 vehicles during the program.

Last Fall, Kelowna partnered with Interior Health, a local health authority, on a study of e-scooter related injuries over the summer. Overall, they found that the injury rate for e-scooters was similar to the injury rate for bikes. The study also made important recommendations which Kelowna is incorporating into their upcoming permit season to improve e-scooter safety.

Recently, Kelowna appeared in NABSA’s State of the Industry: Canada Roundtable Discussion about how shared micromobility in Canada is different from other parts of North America, what challenges are present, and the work that has been done thus far.

When asked about why they value being a NABSA member, Kelowna stated that as a small city, it appreciates the resources and connections to the broader micromobility industry that comes with membership. In addition, they’re able to stay up to date on how other cities are tackling the challenges they’re facing. Kelowna is also excited about the strong commitments NABSA members and others in the industry are making to reduce their carbon footprint and provide more equitable service.