City council is onboard with looking into an e-scooter program for Salmon Arm, though discussion indicated it is unlikely one would get rolling in 2024.
At the Jan. 22 meeting, Coun. Debbie Cannon tabled a motion to ask the city’s Active Transportation Advisory Committee (ATAC) to “review and provide comments regarding the introduction of an e-scooter pilot program similar to what was launched in the City of Vernon, and that it be brought back for consideration at a future council meeting.”
Cannon explained that Vernon was one of 12 communities chosen by the B.C. government to host a three-year pilot project to assess the use of e-scooters. Cannon said she spoke with Vernon’s mayor who had nothing but good things to say about the e-scooter program and its provider (Neuron Mobility).
Cannon anticipates a report will be released following the pilot program’s conclusion this April.
With Vernon’s e-scooter program, people can use one of the Neuron Mobility e-scooters available through a share program accessed via an app.
Statistics gathered to date (shared on the City of Vernon’s website) state about 30,000 people signed up for the Neuron app, about 50 per cent of riders reported using e-scooters to commute and 40 per cent said e-scooter trips had replaced car trips.
Feedback and data collected from all 12 pilot communities will be used by the B.C. government to consider if and how the use of e-scooters should be authorized for permanent use provincewide.
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Cannon said she also discussed the program with the provider at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.
“I think there’s a great opportunity to see what comes out of the report for Salmon Arm to be ready at possibly having this program available,” said Cannon, noting the program could be beneficial in the community with its topography and how it is spread out.
While supportive of the motion, Coun. Tim Lavery, who sits on ATAC, suggested with the pilot programming coming to an end this spring, and other priorities ATAC is working on, that a report may come back in the fall and that the e-scooter program might be a 2025 initiative.
Coun. Sylvia Lindgren asked if the e-scooter program would be overseen by the provider, not the city. Cannon said this was her understanding – that there is no cost to the city.
Lavery stressed he was not trying to be obstructive, that he’d had a preliminary discussion with staff and that he thought the way forward would involve conversations with the pilot program communities. He also noted, among other considerations, that one of ATAC’s priorities is “supporting the city in actually having routes that are safe for active transportation.”
“We can do it, but I do not see a ‘let’s get it ready for this summer’ angle given the priorities on staff time right now,” said Lavery.
Council voted unanimously in support of the motion.
