On Tuesday, the TTC’s Board of Commissioners voted in favour of banning e-bikes and other micromobility devices which use lithium-ion batteries during winter months over the fire risk.
The board made the move despite acknowledging that it will disproportionately affect lower-income gig workers and enforcing the new rules will be difficult to do so.
The decision means that all e-bikes and e-scooters will be banned from November 15 to April 15, effectively prohibiting the devices on board any TTC vehicle as of Tuesday.
A TTC spokesperson said that enforcement will begin with an education campaign before working up to staff telling passengers they can’t bring the vehicles on board. Failing that, TTC enforcement could be in the position to ticket violators.
The issue was brought to the forefront after an e-bike burst into flames while on board a subway car last New Year’s Eve. No one was injured, but TTC staff have acknowledged that had the subway been in a tunnel and not at a platform, the fire likely would have led to serious injuries or even passenger deaths.
Toronto Fire also indicated that when lithium-ion batteries go into thermal runaway, there is no way to extinguish the fires through conventional means.
After considering a ban at its October meeting, the board hit the pause button to examine the impact of doing so.
TTC subways are often packed with e-bike users who are racialized, new Canadians who work as gig workers for food delivery companies.
Many of them use the subway for the final leg of their trip or at the beginning or end of their shifts to get into the core and there was major concern the ban would impact their livelihoods.
Despite a report back that marginalized groups would indeed be affected, TTC staff said it didn’t stop the public risk.
An attempt by board member Coun. Dianne Saxe to adjust the scope of the ban to coincide with slushy weather that leads to the corrosion in batteries and fire risk failed.
The TTC will still need to print and post signs, which a TTC spokesperson said would likely take a few weeks. Once that happens, enforcement of the ban will be gradually stepped up.