Will Durham allow E-scooters on its streets?

Ontario last week has announced a 5-year e-scooter pilot that will begin on January 1, 2020.

Provincial municipalities have been given the choice whether to allow e-scooters on their roadways, said a media release.

E-scooters have the potential to help hundreds of thousands of commuters get to transit connections, reduce congestion and open the Ontario market to a new and growing sector, it added.

“Ontario’s five-year e-scooter pilot will give people a new, clean and green way to get from point A to point B in their communities,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Parliamentary Assistant to Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation.

“With Ontario adopting regulations for its e-scooter pilot, we’re excited by the momentum micromobility continues to gain across Canada,” said Chris Schafer, Senior Director, Strategic Development at Lime in Canada. “This development means that Ontario’s municipalities can now offer their residents new and sustainable ways to get around in their communities. We look forward to working in partnership with governments across the province and continuing to advance our shared transportation goals.”

The province has developed best practice guidelines to help municipalities safely integrate e-scooters in their communities. E-scooters have been launched in over 125 U.S. cities and are being allowed under pilot conditions in Quebec and Alberta.

Quick Facts

  • 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.
  • Under the 5-year pilot, the province has set out rules and requirements for e-scooters such as helmet requirements and a minimum age of 16 years old.
  • E-scooters will also need to be equipped with a horn or bell and must have a front and rear light.
  • Municipalities can choose to pass by-laws to allow use of e-scooters and determine where they can operate most safely in each unique environment.
  • Ontario’s Open for Business Action Plan has set targets of reducing regulatory red tape affecting businesses by 25 per cent and the cost of complying with regulations by $400 million annually by 2020 to help business keep, grow and create good jobs.

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