Is it time to allow skateboards on Montreal roads?

MONTREAL- It’s time to share our roads. That’s the message West Island city councillor Justine McIntyre brought to Montreal city hall Monday night.

McIntyre, a councillor with  Vrai changement pour Montréal, introduced a motion to allow skateboards and other forms of mobile transit like skateboards and scooters on city streets.

“We need more active transit,” she explained. “There’s a lot of interest in getting people moving, active; and in order to do that we have to make changes to the way our city looks.”

Those changes would include creating “active transit” zones. The speed limit would drop to 30 km/h in those areas. Signs would be in place telling motorists, cyclists and pedestrians that the are is a safe place for skateboarders.

The other avenue McIntyre wants to explore in the motion is getting the province to agree to change the highway safety code to allow skateboarders on city streets.

It’s currently illegal for skateboarders to be anywhere except skate parks and breaking the law can results in fines of $30 to $60 each.

“I think it’s time for change,” skateboarder Dave ‘Boots’ Bouthillier told Global News.

“People seem more open to alternative forms of getting around, and many people understand that as long as we’re following the rules, we’re no more dangerous than other forms of transit.”