Mobility Scooters in Montreal
Looking for a mobility scooter in Montreal — to buy, to rent, or to get one funded? Montreal has a long, snowy winter and an older Metro that is only partly accessible, so getting around takes planning. But it also has two things in its favour: the famous Underground City, and something no other province offers — Quebec has a dedicated program that can provide a mobility scooter free of charge to people who qualify. This guide covers our top pick, renting vs. buying, winter and the Underground City, STM and Transport adapté, Quebec’s funding, and the models that fit Montreal. Polaris Mobility earns a commission on qualifying Amazon purchases through links on this page.
- Rated ~25 mi range
- 10″ wheels, 4-wheel
- Folds to bring indoors
- ★ 4.4 rating
The best fit for a hard-winter city: the biggest wheels here for cold, snow-packed and rutted pavement, the longest range so a cold-drained battery still gets you home, and four wheels for stability. It folds, so you can lift it into a warm car and bring it indoors to store and charge — which a Montreal winter demands. Before you buy, though, check whether Quebec’s program (below) can provide one at no cost. Prefer an established brand with a service network? See the Golden Buzzaround EX in the comparison below.
Bought this way it is out-of-pocket; see Quebec’s scooter program further down first.
Renting vs. buying a mobility scooter in Montreal
Delivery services such as Scootaround will drop a scooter at a Montreal hotel or your home for a visit, an event or a recovery. For regular use, renting adds up quickly and buying is usually cheaper within a season. But in Quebec there is a third option many people miss — a provincial program that can supply a scooter at no cost if you qualify (see the funding section). Here is how renting and buying compare:
- Keeps costing you. A travel scooter runs roughly $100 to $200 a week depending on model and city (Scootaround), so a month of regular use is several hundred dollars.
- You hand it back — it never becomes yours.
- Not fitted or sized to you; you take whatever model is free.
- Delivery windows, deposits and return deadlines to plan around.
- Pays for itself fast. A one-time purchase; after a few weeks of what renting costs you are ahead — and you keep the scooter.
- Always charged, sized to you and ready by the door.
- Spread the cost. Many scooters can be paid in monthly installments at checkout or through your card’s equal-monthly-payments plan, so it need not be one big hit.
- Comes with a manufacturer warranty and keeps resale value.
Bottom line: if you might qualify for Quebec’s program, start there before you pay for anything. Otherwise, rent for a short trip and buy if you or a family member will use a scooter most weeks — it is cheaper within a month or two.
A hard winter and the Underground City
Montreal’s winter is long and snowy, but the city also has one of the best cold-weather tools anywhere:
- Cold cuts battery range. Lithium and sealed batteries lose a large share of their range in a hard freeze, so store and charge the scooter indoors at room temperature, bring the battery inside, and plan shorter outdoor trips in winter.
- Snow and ice beat standard scooters. No consumer scooter handles unplowed snow, ruts or ice; even four wheels and big tires slip. Stick to plowed, cleared and salted routes, and stay off ice.
- Use the Underground City. Montreal’s RÉSO is the largest underground pedestrian network in the world — roughly 33 km of climate-controlled passages linking Metro stations, malls, offices and hotels downtown — so you can cross a large part of the core warm and out of the snow. Step-free access varies by entrance, so check the accessible connections before you set out.
- Salt corrodes. Wipe the scooter down and dry it after every winter outing, and keep the battery contacts clean and dry.
Getting around Montreal: STM and Transport adapté
The STM (Société de transport de Montréal) runs the buses and the Metro. The buses are accessible, but the Metro is old and only a minority of its stations have elevators, so it is not a reliable step-free option across the city. Transport adapté is the door-to-door paratransit for people whose disability seriously limits their mobility (STM):
- Same fares as the regular network. Transport adapté uses the ordinary STM fares on an OPUS card, including the reduced senior fare.
- Eligibility is for people with a significant, persistent disability that seriously limits mobility, under Quebec’s provincial policy; the application has a section a health professional must complete.
- How to apply: submit the two-part form with a photo and proof of age; you will get a written response within about 45 days. Customer service is at 514-280-8211, option 4.
Wheelchair-accessible places in Montreal
OpenStreetMap volunteers have tagged more than 750 destinations across Montreal as wheelchair-accessible, including 137 restaurants, 79 cafés, 73 banks and 54 pharmacies. A few from the map: the legendary Schwartz’s deli, Tim Hortons, Starbucks and Desjardins branches. Tags are volunteer-maintained, so confirm current access — and a cleared, step-free winter entrance — with each venue before visiting.
Accessibility data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Who needs mobility support in Montreal
Montreal is home to about 296,000 residents aged 65 and older, roughly 16.8% of the city. And Quebec is one of the oldest provinces in the country: about 21% of Quebecers are 65 or older, above the national figure of 19.0% (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census). Getting around safely through a long winter is a daily question for a very large group here. Nationally, Statistics Canada counts about 3.13 million Canadians with a mobility-related disability (Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022).
Best mobility scooters for Montreal (2026)
Picks that suit a hard-winter city — big wheels and four-wheel stability for cold, snow-packed pavement, enough range to survive a deep-cold battery drop, and a fold to bring indoors. Smaller-wheel and three-wheel models are best kept for the Underground City and indoor use. Specs are per manufacturer listings; confirm current details and price on Amazon.
| Model | Wheels | Max rider | Top speed | Owner rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glashow S1 Folding ★ Top pick | 10″ (4-wheel) | 265 lb | 6.2 mph | 4.4★ (46) |
| Golden Buzzaround EX | 9″ (4-wheel) | 330 lb | 5.0 mph | 4.7★ (verified) |
| Aotedor Lightweight | 7″ | 300 lb | 3.7 mph | 4.5★ (277) |
| Pride Go-Go Sport | 3-wheel | 325 lb | 4.7 mph | 4.4★ (109) |
4.4★ (46 ratings) · 10″ wheels · rated ~25 mi range
Why Montreal: the biggest wheels and longest range here for cold, snow-packed pavement and cold-shortened batteries, and it folds to bring indoors to store and charge.
4.7★ (verified owners) · 9″ wheels · up to 330 lb
Why Montreal: the highest owner rating here and a real brand service network for the repairs a hard winter brings, on a stable, comfortable four-wheel frame.
4.5★ (277 ratings) · folds compact · up to 300 lb
Why Montreal: light to lift into a warm car and easy to store indoors — a strong choice for the Underground City and milder days, though its small wheels are not for deep snow.
4.4★ (109 ratings) · compact · up to 325 lb
Why Montreal: a tight turning circle for the Underground City, malls and clinics where you will spend the coldest months. Four wheels are steadier once you are outside.
How to pay: Quebec’s scooter program and other options
Because the program supplies the device through the health system, a scooter bought on Amazon is a separate out-of-pocket purchase — so if you might qualify, contact your CISSS or CIUSSS first. RAMQ also runs a broader program covering devices that compensate for a physical deficiency. Many Montrealers who do not qualify still buy a travel scooter out of pocket for the lower price and immediate delivery. Confirm current criteria directly, as they change.
Watch: the Golden Buzzaround EX reviewed
An independent walkthrough of the Golden Buzzaround EX — the stability-and-service pick above — showing the seat, tiller, disassembly and driving.
Video: Golden Buzzaround EX review by Marc’s Mobility (YouTube). Polaris Mobility is not affiliated with the reviewer.
Compare more 4-wheel models · full catalog
Montreal mobility scooter FAQ
Can I get a mobility scooter for free in Quebec?
Possibly. Quebec runs a dedicated mobility scooter program — unique among the provinces — that can provide a scooter free of charge, with no fees or deductibles, to people who are persistently unable to walk about 30 metres due to a motor, respiratory or cardiovascular impairment, live at home and have safe storage. You enrol through your local CISSS or CIUSSS, so contact them before buying anything.
Can I use a mobility scooter outdoors in a Montreal winter?
On plowed, cleared and salted routes and milder days, yes, but with limits. Deep cold cuts battery range and no standard scooter handles deep snow or ice, so store and charge it indoors, keep the battery warm, plan short trips, and use the downtown Underground City or Transport adapté on the worst days.
Is the Montreal Metro accessible with a mobility scooter?
Only partly. The Metro is old and just a minority of stations have elevators, so it is not a reliable step-free option across the city. The STM buses are accessible, though, and many scooter users combine the buses, the Underground City and Transport adapté instead. Check which Metro stations have elevators before you rely on one.
What is the best mobility scooter for Montreal?
For a hard, snowy winter, big wheels, four-wheel stability and enough range to survive a deep-cold battery drop matter most. Our top pick is the Glashow S1 for its wheels, range and fold; the Golden Buzzaround EX is the choice for the highest rating and a service network, and a lightweight or three-wheel model is best kept for the Underground City and indoor use.