This e-bike share pilot will be the first all-electric bike share of its kind to start rolling on streets in British Columbia. E-bike share in the City and the District will provide a new transportation option for residents and visitors and will complement the municipalities’ growing active transportation and transit network.
Work to bring this program to the North Shore began last year when the City of North Vancouver Council endorsed its E-Bike Share Policy. This policy was the first step to making this program a reality and creating the opportunity for a joint E-Bike Share Program to be established. The District of North Vancouver followed suit in February of 2021.
Over the coming weeks, the municipalities will work with Lime to launch an initial fleet of 200 e-bikes at dozens of designated parking locations across the City and the District. Through the Lime app, riders will be able to start and end their e-bike rides from any designated parking location for trips anywhere on the streets of the City and the District, including its many hills.
“We all want to live in a connected community where moving from place to place is easy. For too long cities have been designed with the car in mind, leaving many people without a safe and efficient option for getting around. That’s why the City of North Vancouver is committed to delivering on innovative transportation options such as the e-bike share program. This exciting new pilot has been long awaited and I look forward to hearing the community feedback,” said City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan.
“Traffic is the biggest challenge for residents in the District of North Vancouver. The e-bike share pilot is an exciting way to expand active transportation options across our region. E-bikes are a great way to get outside, have some fun, and see North Vancouver from a different perspective. I look forward to hearing about residents’ experiences on the e-bikes, and to seeing how the program unfolds and benefits the community,” said District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little.
Based in San Francisco, Lime has proven experience operating shared electric mobility systems in dozens of cities around the world, such as Calgary, Ottawa, and Seattle.
"Lime is excited to bring the first all-electric bike share program to British Columbia right here in the City of North Vancouver and District of North Vancouver,” said Jen Freiman, General Manager Lime Canada. “We are deeply grateful to Mayor Linda Buchanan, Mayor Mike Little, and their colleagues in government for giving us this opportunity to provide residents and visitors alike with safe, affordable access to a hugely popular sustainable active transportation mode. We look forward to building the best possible e-bike share program for the people of the North Shore."
More information about the pilot program and its upcoming launch can be found online at cnv.org/ebikeshare and dnv.org/e-bike-pilot.
What is an e-bike?
An e-bike has an integrated electric motor so biking up the hills in the City and the District should be manageable for adults of all ages. Similar to electric cars, e-bikes are a zero emission mode of transportation and can help reduce the human-caused impact on the planet.
How Will the Pilot Program Work?
Lime has been granted a permit to operate an e-bike share system as a two-year pilot program in the City and the District. During this period, the municipalities will assess the success of the program based on how well it meets the goals outlined in the E-Bike Share Policy. We will review user data and public feedback, and will regularly report on the pilot’s status to Council.
The e-bike share program will provide a cost-effective, environmentally-sensitive transportation option for the City and the District.
City of North Vancouver Mayor, Linda Buchanan poses with a Lime bike