E-scooters are prohibited in this major Metro Vancouver city
E-scooters have become a central part of many Metro Vancouver streets — but you might not actually be allowed to ride them depending on what municipality you’re in.
In 2021, B.C. started its e-scooter pilot to test their feasibility and safety for transportation, with four Metro Vancouver cities on the list: Vancouver, North Vancouver City, North Vancouver District, and West Vancouver.
In 2024, the province expanded the e-scooter pilot, allowing cities across the province to join. In Metro Vancouver, new jurisdictions that took up that offer included Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, and the Township of Langley.
The City of Surrey, however, chose not to join this pilot — and it remains prohibited to use an e-scooter on public roads, sidewalks, bike paths, or parks in Surrey. You can only ride them on private property.
“To date, the City of Surrey has chosen not to participate due to ongoing concerns related to rider safety, regulatory compliance, enforcement challenges, and conflicts and safety incidents,” said Surrey’s engineering department in an email to Daily Hive.
Surrey Schools has also announced that it will “not permit the use or storage of electric scooters on Surrey Schools property.” They cited safety concerns regarding speed and lack of helmets, as well as issues with misplaced, stolen, or damaged e-scooters.
The City of Surrey told Daily Hive that engineering staff have worked closely with Surrey Schools on raising awareness about this.
Last week, the Surrey Police Service posted a reminder of this on social media.
“Help keep everyone safe by knowing the rules and sharing the road.”
#DYK e-scooters are not permitted on public property in Surrey, including roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks. Help keep everyone safe by knowing the rules and sharing the road. pic.twitter.com/KKkbgBgsW4
— Surrey Police Service (@surreyps) September 17, 2026
Since e-scooter use has proliferated in cities like Vancouver, they have also become a point of contention.
While they are useful for getting cars off the road, there have been a number of incidents recently where people have gotten seriously injured. For example, a 30-year-old woman tragically died this summer after she crashed into a car while on a scooter. She wasn’t wearing a helmet.
The Province intends to use the results of this pilot project to see if e-scooters should be allowed permanently in B.C.
With files from Amir Ali