City asks residents for feedback on e-scooter pilot project on Ottawa streets

OTTAWA -

The city of Ottawa is asking residents for feedback on the use of e-scooters on streets and bike lanes this summer and fall, including whether you have encountered the two-wheeled scooters on sidewalks and what you did about it.

An end-of-season survey on the e-scooter pilot project is open for the public as the second year of e-scooters on the streets winds down.

As of Oct. 31, 123,327 riders had taken 452,808 trips on the 1,200-shared e-scooters offered from Bird Canada, Lime and Neuron. The city increased the size of the e-scooter fleet from 600 in 2020 to 1,200 in 2021, and allowed e-scooters to be used in suburban areas.

The survey asks residents whether they used a shared e-scooter in 2020 or 2021, what would encourage you to use e-scooters, if you encountered "mis-parked" e-scooters during the pilot project, how frequently did you find a mis-parked e-scooter on sidewalks and if you have any suggestions to improve e-scooter parking.

Respondents are also asked whether they encountered people riding e-scooters on sidewalks, and whether you knew that e-scooters are not permitted on sidewalks.

"The majority of users do use it in a friendly matter, it's quite affordable and you don't need to own the device," said Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury in an interview with CTV News Ottawa this week.

"But there are some major concerns that continue to rise, and they've become more and more serious. The units and where they're parked that is of top issues for us as it relates to accessibility – accessibility of our sidewalks, safety of walking on sidewalks and crossing streets and impacting access to businesses."

Fleury says the city needs to ensure e-scooters are only used on streets and bike lanes, not on sidewalks or in parks and public spaces.

"It's a disruptive technology, the city's embarked on that pilot and now it's the city's responsibility to put the right framework on enforcement. We have the tools in place," said Fleury, noting Ottawa Bylaw does enforce vehicle parking rules.

The shared e-scooters will remain available for use until Nov. 30. You can fill out the survey on the city of Ottawa's website.