Shared e-scooters could make a comeback in Montreal — this time in Parc Jean-Drapeau

App-activated electric scooters, which were banned from Montreal streets after a pilot project in 2019, could be rolling back into the city this summer — but not in the downtown core. 

Montreal's municipal council is expected to vote on a bylaw Monday that would allow self-service scooter rentals on Parc Jean-Drapeau's territory, a move creating mixed feelings among frequenters of the island off the shore of Montreal in the St. Lawrence. 

Didier Sicsic, who took public transit to get to the park from the South Shore Sunday, said he likes the idea of e-scooters in the area.

"If it can make people avoid using cars … yeah, why not?" he said. 

Christiane Gingras, who visits Parc Jean-Drapeau often to go to the Montreal casino, also thinks it's a good move. 

"It's going to allow some more people to travel around," she said, adding drivers might opt for the e-scooter instead of expensive parking.

Tanya Behrisch, who is visiting Montreal from Vancouver to see her son, calls the project unfortunate. 

"This is my second day coming back …and just enjoying being a pedestrian here, not having cars and motorized vehicles around, I think it's going to take away some of what makes this island special," she said. 

"It's got a different feeling and noise level from the city and I think electric scooters are going to change that."

The e-scooters — operated by companies including Bird Canada and Lime — were allowed in some Montreal boroughs as part of a pilot project in 2019. 

But a city report found that during the test run, scooters were parked in their designated zones only 20 per cent of the time.

Montreal police also issued more than 300 tickets to e-scooter users for not respecting the Highway Safety Code. The city banned shared, dockless e-scooters for 2020 following the mass noncompliance with the rules.

Transportation consultant has concerns

Montreal's executive committee adopted the bylaw governing this new project last week.

The agency that runs the park, the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau, said the goal of the project is to eliminate car traffic in the park and offer a sustainable mobility option. 

Michael Wexler, a senior associate at Access Planning, a transportation consulting firm, says the question remains as to how you can structure the system to make sure that e-scooter users will be those that are ditching their cars. 

"If the goal of the system is to give options to folks coming by public transportation, then that needs to be strategically mobilized," he said, adding that positioning a large number of e-scooters near a Metro will encourage sustainable transportation more so than placing them near a parking lot.

He says the challenges posed by e-scooters around the world stem from the lack of clarity for docking. 

"One of the real benefits of our bike-share system, Bixi in Montreal — and many of the similar systems — is you have a structured dock-based system," he said.

"Everyone knows where you're picking up a bike, everyone knows where you're expected to put your bike at the end of your trip and you also generally have a set time."

He said there are some concerns about Montreal's dockless e-scooters.

"Yes, you can have a designated parking zone but unless you are required to put it there, because you'd be facing a fine or you can't finish your trip, then will people actually leave their scooters there?" he said. 

To avoid some of the pitfalls of the pilot project, a spokesperson for the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau says there are going to be geolocator technology built into the e-scooters which will help track them and send instant messages to users.

Should the bylaw be passed, it said it will put out a call for applications for companies who are interested.