The electric scooters will be available for a two-week trial period. Bird already operates in Edmonton and Calgary, but this will be its first city in Ontario. It’s a toehold in a market that its largest rivals, including Lime and Uber, have been lobbying for access to for well over a year. Widespread scooter adoption in Toronto is contingent on provincial law being re-written so electric scooters can be allowed on public streets. (CBC)

Talking point: The Distillery District pilot will exclusively be on private property. Waterloo ended its pilot with Lime earlier in August, citing an easier regulatory environment for the company in Montreal and Calgary, where it also operates. The uncertainty around provincial regulations has put several municipalities—including Ottawa and Windsor, which have taken steps to welcome e-scooters on their streets—in a tricky position. Ontario’s lack of change contrasts three other provincial governments that have worked with cities that want scooters: B.C. paved the way for Kelowna, Alberta for Calgary and Quebec for Montreal.