Dockless e-scooters, the free-ranging two-wheeled vehicles that have sown controversy in some U.S. cities where they’ve appeared, are coming to Toronto next month.

Bird Canada, the local offshoot of a Santa Monica, Calif.-based e-scooter firm, confirmed Friday the company plans to launch a pilot project in the Distillery District next month.

“Bird Canada is working to firm up the exact date to kick off a two-week pilot project for its Bird shared e-scooters in the Distillery District in early September,” Bird Canada CEO Stewart Lyons said in a statement.

The company provided no further details.

Bird has set up e-scooter programs in more than 100 cities, including Paris, Tel Aviv, Vienna, Portland and Memphis. They operate like bike-share systems in that they allow customers to rent the vehicles for short periods of time after unlocking them with a smartphone app.

But unlike Toronto’s Bike Share, customers with Bird and similar scooter companies such as Lime don’t have to drop their vehicles at a docking station at the end of their ride, and instead can park them where they please.

That’s led to complaints in other cities about the vehicles being left strewn on sidewalks or in front of businesses’ front doors.

Under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, e-scooters, which have rechargeable motors that allow them reach speeds of about 25 km/h, can’t be legally operated on public roads.

But Bird’s pilot, which was first reported by the CBC, would be permitted in the Distillery District because the historic 13-acre area east of downtown is privately owned.

Bird has already launched in Edmonton and Calgary, while Lime has started pilots in those two Alberta cities as well as Waterloo and Montreal.

With the technology growing in popularity Ontario is reviewing its legislation.

“The province recognizes the importance of new vehicle technology, especially if it expands mobility options for Ontarians — but safety is our top priority,” said Transportation Ministry spokesperson Joshua Henry.

While e-scooters aren’t permitted on the province’s roads, city governments have the authority to set policies for their use on sidewalks and multi-use trails.

Toronto currently has no regulatory framework that specifically addresses the vehicles, but a council committee voted in April to study the issue. A report from city staff is expected by the end of the year.

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Councillor Joe Cressy (Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York), who represents the ward that includes the Distillery, called Bird’s pilot “an excellent idea,” although he joked the district’s cobblestone streets might make for a bumpy ride.

“In principle, this is a good model for efficient and convenient transportation,” he said, adding the pilot will allow Bird “to test out the model without contravening outdated rules set by governments.”

Councillor Mike Layton (Ward 11, University-Rosedale), who requested the city come up with rules for scooters, sounded a more cautious tone. He warned the experience in other jurisdictions shows that while many people find e-scooters a convenient form of transportation, there are valid concerns about them “ending up on peoples’ front lawn.”