Halifax eyes regulating e-scooters with proposed bylaw

Halifax is moving ahead with a bylaw for e-scooters, and plans are in the works to regulate the rental market for the popular devices.

During a meeting on Tuesday, councillors discussed the proposed micromobility bylaw, which deals with electric scooters but could eventually cover other devices as technology changes.

"If nothing else, addressing the complete 'toss your scooter wherever' situation that is currently presiding out there would be a big improvement," Coun. Sam Austin said during the meeting.

The bylaw would set a speed limit of 25 km/h on Halifax roads, which is below the provincial speed limit of 32 km/h. Scooters would only be allowed on streets with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less. There would be a 15 km/h limit on multi-use paths, and scooters would also be banned from most parks.

Scooters are currently treated like bicycles under the Motor Vehicle Act and must travel on bike lanes or the roadway. But the city's bylaw gives more specific enforcement powers. Anyone who allows a scooter to be "abandoned" on municipal property like sidewalks or parks so they're blocking foot or car traffic would be against the bylaw.

City staff said they'd like to hire two new bylaw officers to help with enforcement. Once the new rules are in place, staff or police could hand out minimum $50 tickets or impound illegally-parked scooters.

Shelley Adams of CNIB Nova Scotia said scooters can be dangerous for all pedestrians, but especially those with vision loss. People in the city are still tripping over parked scooters or getting startled when they speed by on sidewalks.

"Regulations are great if they're enforced," Adams said Wednesday. "People need to realize that … there's going to be consequences."

Pilot to start in 2024

Staff also shared early plans for a pilot that will begin next year. It would see one or two companies granted a contract to rent bikes and scooters in the city.

The pilot could lead to new requirements such as designated parking hubs for scooters, locked helmets on the devices, or sidewalk-detecting technology.

Max Rastelli, owner of HFX e-Scooters and Segway Nova Scotia, said he welcomes the bylaw and is hopeful he can remain in business as one of the selected operators through the pilot.

Currently there's an audio recording that plays when riders unlock a scooter that reminds them to stay off sidewalks. Rastelli's team regularly drives around the city swapping out batteries and moving abandoned scooters.

Max Rastelli has run HFX e-Scooters in Halifax for the past five years. (Rob Short/CBC)

But the "real world" application of parking hubs might not be useful, Rastelli said, because he's seen more Haligonians using the scooters to commute or to take short trips, so he argues that allowing users to park legally around the city is best.

"The focus should be on education and enforcement, and maybe not try to do too much with the regulations and technologies for the operators," Rastelli said Wednesday.

"If you make it too difficult, then you're almost tying their hands and the whole project is going to be a failure."

The staff report noted that data shows 33 per cent of car trips that originate in Halifax's urban centre are less than three kilometres, presenting an opportunity to shift some drivers to greener options like bikes and scooters.

"Those who hate them, well maybe take a step back and try to see the bigger picture here … for climate change and the climate emergency we're in," Rastelli said.

An user signs out an HFX eScooter via the mobile app on his phone on the Halifax waterfront. (Rob Short/CBC)

Harry Baker of MoVe Scooters said they are open to parking hubs, and have already partnered with local hotels to install some.

"It's history in Halifax cause it's going to be — it's the future," said Baker.

"Compare us to some of the other cities in Canada, they've got this already going for years now. So it's exciting, it's extremely exciting."

The bylaw is expected to be sent for final approval in July, with more details about the pilot.

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