If you’re an e-scooter fan you’re now one step closer to legally riding them around the streets of Saskatchewan.
SGI has announced new regulations that gives municipalities the choice to allow e-scooters on public roads.
“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.”
The new regulations will govern the use of motorized vehicles that can’t go any faster than 32 kilometres per hour.
SGI said the regulations focus on e-scooters only, and other vehicles like one-wheels and hoverboards aren’t included at this time. Those could be looked at in the future SGI said.
The e-scooter framework was developed following SGI’s consultation last fall with municipalities, law enforcement and other stakeholders.
“We sought feedback across different sectors and that feedback was generally in favour of allowing them to be used on public roads under certain circumstances allowing for safety,” said Tyler McMurchy, the manager of media relations for SGI.
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, etc.)
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 for the e-scooters 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.
Last year Regina Mayor Sandra Masters said both Regina and Saskatoon had been looking into e-scooter legalization.
In response to the SGI announcement the City of Regina said they will review the new e-scooter guidelines and any relevant recommendations will be brought forward to city council.