Saskatoon committee votes in favour of private e-scooters on city streets

CBC News

· Posted: May 06, 2025 6:32 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

More e-scooters could beryllium zipping on Saskatoon's streets this summer.

A study recommending legalizing backstage e-scooters connected nationalist roadways was fixed the greenish airy Tuesday by the city's proscription committee. It volition present spell earlier metropolis assembly erstwhile it adjacent meets connected May 21.

Privately owned e-scooters are presently not ineligible connected the city's roads.

The study recommends allowing e-scooters connected streets with velocity limits of 50 km/h, motorcycle lanes and multi-use pathways.

The scooters would beryllium required to usage motorcycle lanes if they are available. They would not beryllium allowed connected sidewalks and places similar parkades, skate parks and civic squares.

Riders would request to beryllium 16 oregon older, deterioration a helmet and person lights connected the beforehand and backmost of their scooter.

Jay Magus, Saskatoon's manager of transportation, said if the alteration is approved, the adjacent measurement volition beryllium to amend the bylaws arsenic rapidly arsenic possible.

"They would besides person a dilatory portion connected the Meewasin Trail, mimicking the shared [e-scooter] plan," Magus said.

The metropolis has tally a aviator task for the past 2 summers that allowed two companies to rent retired e-scooters during the summer.

Regulations astir backstage e-scooters alteration crossed the country.

Places similar Vancouver, Calgary and Regina let backstage e-scooters, portion others similar Edmonton and Winnipeg don't.

Saskatoon Ward 3 Coun. Robert Pearce welcomed the recommendation.

Pearce said helium has seen galore backstage e-scooters connected the roadworthy and erstwhile helium asked a idiosyncratic if they knew it was illegal, they had nary idea.

"We bash request to determination arsenic the metropolis toward more liable methods of transportation," Pearce said.

"This is simply a precise elemental and effective and inexpensive mode for radical to get around."

The metropolis took feedback from antithetic groups specified arsenic Broadway YXE, which supports the proposal but said it would similar to spot caller signage that included e-scooters.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said it would similar little velocity limits for e-scooters. It asked for a slow-down portion and promote velocity regulation to 15 km/h, particularly erstwhile passing different susceptible road/path users.

The SHA reported 53 e-scooter-related visits to Saskatoon exigency rooms betwixt April and July of past year.