Scooter giants Bird and Lime are gearing up for a significant expansion into at least 14 countries across five continents, according to new job listings and recent hires.

The companies, both valued at US$2 billion, are set to go head-to-head in a number of major cities, including Santiago, New York, Warsaw, Bogotá and Toronto.

The spate of new hires come amid a regulatory push to allow scooters on the streets in Edmonton; Victoria; Kelowna, B.C.; and Windsor, Ont. The Logic has also learned that the Ontario government is holding a private consultation with key industry players this week to discuss making it easier for electric bikes and scooters to operate in Canada’s most populous province.