REGINA — Saskatchewan municipalities can now choose to allow e-scooters on public roads.
The Limited Speed Motor Vehicle Regulations, 2022, will govern the use of motorized vehicles with a maximum speed of 32 km/h.
The framework was developed following consultation last fall with municipalities, law enforcement, safety organizations and stakeholders. Most respondents were in favour of allowing their use on public roads, with many supporters viewing e-scooters as an eco-friendly mode of transportation. See the “e-Scooter Review Report on Outcomes” here.
“These regulations give significant consideration to safety, to help ensure people can ride e-scooters while minimizing risk,” Don Morgan, Minister responsible for SGI, said. “While municipalities have always had the option to allow e-scooters on sidewalks and walking paths, these new regulations serve public demand while providing municipal authority for additional bylaws.”
Municipalities may pass bylaws to allow e-scooters and authorize where and when they can be used (public roads with speed limits of 50 km/h or less, sidewalks, pathways).
If a municipality does not pass a bylaw permitting their use, e-scooters will continue to be prohibited on public roads in that community.
The provincial regulations are safety focused, and stipulate:
·E-scooters can only be permitted on roads with a speed of 50 kilometres per hour or less;
·E-scooters cannot be operated at a speed greater than 24 km/hr;
·A minimum operator age of 16 years or older;
·An outline of the required standards and safety equipment – Riders are required to wear helmets; and
·Municipalities and provincial and national parks have the authority to create bylaws around the use of e-scooters.
Where these devices are permitted, anyone operating one of these devices on a public road is required to follow traffic laws. Impaired operation of e-scooters is not allowed. Motorists are expected to keep safety in mind and share the road, as they currently do with bicyclists. (For a refresher course on the rules of the road, consult the SGI Driver’s Handbook at www.sgi.sk.ca/handbook).
Since e-scooters are not regulated at the federal level, the regulations provide broad authority for Saskatchewan to pilot, test, and regulate them, according to SGI.
E-scooters don’t have to be registered and don’t require a driver’s licence to operate but they must comply with municipal bylaws and meet the provincial e-scooter regulations. Any fines or penalties for operating an e-scooter in a restricted area in a community, town or city are up to the municipality.
These provincial regulations initially focus on e-scooters. While other vehicles aren’t included at this time, the regulations position the province to react to other micro-mobility devices in the future.
