Oshawa is seeking input whether the use of Electric Scooters (e-scooters) should be permitted in the city under the Province of Ontario’s 5-year e-scooter pilot program.
E-scooters have battery-powered motors and are steered with waist-high handlebars. They are generally designed for use by adults with a large deck in the center which the rider stands on.
E-scooters are part of the growing ‘micro-mobility’ sector that increases transportation options for residents and visitors. However, there are also challenges such as parking compliance, enforcement, illegal sidewalk riding, trail user conflict, and potential injuries.
Input received will help the city to determine if e-scooters should be permitted, where they should be allowed to be ridden, and whether e-scooter rental companies (e-scooter sharing) should be allowed to operate in the city. Please note that the city will follow the Ministry of Transportation best practices and will not permit the operation of e-scooters on sidewalks, similar to the city’s rules around e-bike use, said a city statement.
Community members are invited to participate in one of two ways:
- Complete a feedback form on Connect Oshawa (www.connectoshawa.ca/escooters) or on paper at Service Oshawa, located at City Hall; or
- Attend a Public Information Session and e-scooter demonstration on Tuesday, April 5 from 2 pm to 4 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm at Donevan Recreation Complex. Residents are asked to register before March 28 by contacting Service Oshawa at 905-436-3311.
Feedback will be received until noon Monday, April 11, and considered in the development of a report to council in 2022 with recommendations on a pilot program.
Project Background
In January 2020, the Province of Ontario launched a five-year e-scooter pilot program to evaluate whether e-scooters are suitable to be operated on roadways. The provincial pilot is intended to evaluate the use of both personal and shared e-scooters to examine their ability to safely integrate with other vehicle types and determine whether existing provincial rules of the road are adequate.
Under the five-year pilot, the province has set out broad rules and requirements for e-scooters such as helmet requirements, a minimum age of 16 years old, and requirements for e-scooters including size, maximum speed of 24 km/hr., equipped with a horn or bell and a front and rear light.
Under the provincial pilot, municipalities can chose whether to allow their use and to determine where they can operate most safely by adopting or amending their by-laws. Municipalities that choose to permit e-scooters will be responsible for considerations such as whether to allow or prohibit them on municipal roads including parks and trails; where parking will be located; and how e-scooters will be managed in their municipality.
E-scooter sharing refers to a private company or companies providing a fleet of e-scooters for rent. Residents and visitors unlock parked e-scooters using a mobile app and are charged for the ride through the app. Shared e-scooter providers could be further regulated through non-exclusive agreements with the City that would lower vehicle speeds, limit fleet size, require conformity to parking regulations and outline fleet requirements.
This pilot project does not address mobility/accessibility scooters, e-bikes, or electric mopeds.