Burlington’s Centennial Trail is once again open to rental e-scooters for the 2026 season, and for the first time, residents can also ride their own personal e-scooters along the popular waterfront path. The City of Burlington confirmed the update on June 22, 2026, expanding access under a two-year pilot that runs through 2027. The move comes after city council amended its traffic bylaw in late 2025 to let private e-scooter owners use the trail, matching rules already in place for the rental fleet.
Anyone hopping on an e-scooter along Centennial Trail needs to be at least 16 years old. Riders should wear a helmet; it is legally required for those aged 16 to 18. The rules also require riding solo, staying off sidewalks, and always yielding to people on foot. Walkers and mobility device users have priority on the shared path. “Centennial Trail is a shared pathway and all users must be courteous to others using the trail,” the city says on its pilot program page.
Rental e-scooters are available around the clock through the SCOOTY app, run by Canadian company Scooty Mobility Inc., at no cost to local taxpayers. Riders pay a $1.15 unlock fee plus 35 cents per minute. The service covers the trail between Brant Street, the Elgin Promenade, and Burloak Drive. During its first season from July to November 2025, the pilot logged 5,563 rides by over 2,100 unique riders who traveled 14,113 kilometres. Parking compliance hit 97 per cent, and the shift from car trips saved an estimated three tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The expanded access is part of Burlington’s Integrated Mobility Plan, a long-term push to give people more active and sustainable ways to get around. Ontario’s provincewide e-scooter pilot, which now runs until 2029, lets municipalities test and fine-tune their own programs. Burlington’s city council voted in December 2025 to align local rules with the province’s, ensuring personal e-scooter riders could join the trial without facing penalties.
City officials say the pilot helps them study how micromobility fits into Burlington’s future transportation network while keeping the trail welcoming for everyone. Riders are reminded to stick to the designated zone and follow the rules, including the helmet requirement and pedestrian right-of-way.
