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Moncton is moving to regulate businesses that rent e-scooters.
Council unanimously voted in favour Monday of first reading of a bylaw requiring firms renting the battery-powered devices to have insurance, provide users with helmets, as well as limiting where and how fast the scooters can go.
The bylaw still needs to pass second and third readings, scheduled for the next council meeting on Aug. 17. If passed, companies would have 30 days to comply with the new rules.
Charles LeBlanc, the city’s director of bylaw enforcement and community safety, told council there are two companies that together offer around 800 e-scooters for rent in the Moncton area.
“Right now they’re operating without any framework at all,” LeBlanc said. The lack of rules has led to complaints about unsafe use, scooters ridden on sidewalks, or left blocking sidewalks.
“We’re very limited today what we can do about that,” LeBlanc said.
Two e-scooter companies have been operating in Moncton for about two years. (Shane Magee/CBC)
The proposed bylaw calls for companies renting e-scooters, bikes or other “micromobility” devices to be licensed annually and follow various rules, or risk fines or losing their licence.
Proposed rules include having companies use GPS data to prevent scooters from being used or left on sidewalks, requiring users to be at least 16 years old, and limiting where the devices can be left within downtown.
It would also require the companies to limit scooter speeds on most streets to 25 km/h, and 15 km/h on trails and parks. The speed limit would be 15 km/h on Main and St. George streets in downtown.
Wouldn’t affect privately owned scooters
The bylaw does not affect privately owned devices.
“So Johnny that has an e-scooter that he bought at Walmart — this will not be covered with that at all,” LeBlanc said.
Last July, the municipality sent a letter to the province asking it to amend the Motor Vehicle Act, but that law has not been changed.
A staff report to council about the proposed bylaw said the amendment would allow enforcement of traffic rules and standards for both rented and privately owned devices.
The bylaw was first sought by the previous council. A draft went to a committee meeting last fall, but didn’t advance to council.
At the final council meeting before the May municipal election, city staff recommended Moncton hold off implementing a bylaw until the province amends its legislation. Council instead voted for staff to bring the bylaw forward for approval.
LeBlanc said he believes Moncton is the first municipality in the province to propose e-scooter regulations for businesses.
Charles LeBlanc, Moncton’s director of bylaw enforcement and community safety, and Leslie Tse, the city’s active transportation co-ordinator, speak to reporters Monday. (Shane Magee/CBC)
Leslie Tse, Moncton’s active transportation co-ordinator, said the neighbouring communities of Dieppe and Riverview are monitoring what happens.
“Moncton is a bit of a guinea pig,” Tse said, adding that ideally there would be a similar set of rules across the three municipalities, comparable to how taxis are regulated.
LeBlanc said he believes the owners of the two companies renting scooters in the Moncton area are aware of what’s proposed and supportive.
“We’ve had open conversations with basically the businesses of what we were looking at, and actually a lot of the ideas actually came from them of how we should move forward,” LeBlanc said.
Several councillors Monday voiced support for the proposed bylaw, recounting close calls or driveways and sidewalks blocked by the devices.
Coun. Kate Doyle said she hasn’t seen helmets provided with the scooters, as the bylaw would require.
“I’ve never seen a helmet on one of these things. Kids, adults, no one is wearing helmets on these things,” Doyle said.
She added that their use on sidewalks could reflect how users don’t feel safe using them on city streets as the bylaw would require.
No data was available Monday on crashes or injuries linked to e-scooter use in the city.
The bylaw would require companies to share various data with the municipality, including details about where scooters are used.
If the bylaw passes, council was told the city will track its effectiveness and changes may be required, especially if the province acts on the request to change its legislation.