Toronto city staff are recommending against opting into the province’s e-scooter pilot project for several reasons.
City staff have said that “accessibility barriers, safety concerns and insurance issues remain unresolved for privately owned and rental e-scooters.”
“The solutions proposed by e-scooter industry participants are not satisfactory in addressing the concerns from the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee, disability groups, residents, and City staff.”
E-scooters are only allowed to be used on private property in Ontario unless a city has opted into the province’s pilot project, which is running until November 27th, 2024.
The report compiled by city staff will be submitted to city council, which will vote on whether it will approve the recommendations.
City staff outlined that “the current regulations that prohibit the use of e-scooters in public spaces make sense as they will prevent an increase in street and sidewalk-related injuries and fatalities, and their associated costs.”
The report states that the recommendation to not opt into the pilot alights with the city’s Vision Zero Road Safety goals, including the consideration of the impacts on people living with disabilities.
Ottawa is one of the few municipalities in Ontario that has signed onto the pilot. Toronto has been debating the matter for quite some time now as the city assesses risks.
Only a handful of cities across the country have allowed e-scooters on public roads. Last year, Montreal banned Lime and Bird e-scooters, mainly because they weren’t being parked correctly.
Source: City of Toronto
