Brockton won’t be opting in to the province’s e-scooter pilot program.
Councillors passed a motion at their meeting Tuesday to maintain the status quo, which is provincial prohibition of e-scooter use.
The municipality will also undertake a public education campaign to inform residents about the ban of e-scooters.
A staff report to Brockton council says the Ontario government’s current pilot project concerning e-scooters in the province does not permit their use everywhere.
“Rather, a municipality must pass a by-law to allow their use on infrastructure under municipal jurisdiction,” Brockton’s Director of Legislative and Legal Services Fiona Hamilton says in a report to council. “If Brockton does not enact a by-law permitting their operation, e-scooters are not authorized for use on municipal highways, sidewalks, trails, paths, walkways, parks or exhibition grounds.”
The Ontario government is currently undertaking an e-scooter pilot program, which sets out some basic requirements concerning helmets and a minimum operator age of 16.
But, municipalities must opt-in to the pilot program to permit the use of e-scooters in their boundaries.
Councillors agreed it’s not common knowledge the use of e-scooters is banned by provincial regulation, unless municipalities decide to engage in the province’s pilot. Several spoke about the need for public education to raise awareness about this issue.
“Ultimately, what we need to do is ensure we’re educating on this,” Coun. Mitch Clark says. “A lot of what is in this report is new to myself, and I’m sure it’s new to others around the table as well.”
Brockton Coun. Tim Elphick, who brought the motion in May to have staff prepare a report on e-scooters, says the decision to maintain the status quo — which is a ban on e-scooter use — ensures the safety of residents.
But he does anticipate this issue will be re-visited in future. The Ontario government’s current e-scooter pilot program continues until 2029. After that the government will decide if e-scooters will be allowed permanently in Ontario, according to information provided online by the province.
“Through the police services board, I’m hopeful we can continue having these conversations, not only here in Brockton but also throughout the other four municipalities part of the South Bruce (OPP) detachment,” Elphick says. “If there is going to be a day where we do engage in the pilot program and put parameters in place, it would be great to see that consistent throughout the South Bruce detachment area.”
Brockton Mayor Chris Peabody had specific safety concerns about e-scooter use in downtown Walkerton. He wants to see the municipality “move quicker” and look at enforcement.
“Downtown we’ve got residents coming out of the stores, unless they look both ways they are going to get hit by a very fast moving e-scooter … I think we need to move quicker on some enforcement and possibly some fines, because somebody is going to get hurt very badly downtown,” Peabody says.
Council also directed staff to report back on bylaw amendment options concerning the issue on Durham Street in Walkerton raised by Peabody.