Ottawa's e-scooter program will launch this month
The city of Ottawa is preparing to launch the third season of the e-scooter pilot project in approximately two weeks, with new restrictions on riders and the companies operating the electric scooters.
Bird Canada and Neuron Mobility will be the two operators offering e-scooters for rent in the central area of Ottawa this summer and fall. The contracts were awarded after the city issued a request for proposals and evaluated the scooters' technology features.
Transportation Committee chair Tim Tierney says the city delayed the launch as staff looked to address the concerns of residents and some councillors about sidewalk riding and improper parking.
"I've been getting lots of emails, 'Why aren't they on the street yet?' Well, that's because we made a decision as a committee and council that we demanded new technology scooters," Coun. Tierney told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.
"The old ones, they weren't smart – the new ones are very smart. They prevent sidewalk riding, erratic behaviour, there's a lot more features … they even have noise emitting."
Tierney says city staff have done their due diligence by testing out the scooters offered by the company.
New rules this year include prohibiting e-scooters from riding on sidewalks.
"You get onto a sidewalk on one of these things, which is illegal just like biking, it will rapidly decrease speed, make noise and just stop," Tierney says.
There will be a total combined fleet size of 900 e-scooters, down from 1,200 last year. Staff say each company will be 'phasing' in their total fleets and/or deployment area in the central area over the first few weeks of the season.
E-scooters will be required to emit a continuous sound while in operation, and apps must only allow riders to end their rides in a designated parking area.
Tierney says Ottawa police will conduct a blitz at the start of the e-scooter season to remind riders of the rules of the road.
"I feel very confident this year," Tierney said about whether the new rules will address complaints. "The main issues were always sidewalk riding and parking, and I'll tell you now if you park it and you don't park it in the right spot it tells you … and keeps charging your credit card."
The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians is raising concerns about the arrival of e-scooters on city streets.
"The scooters were a particular risk to blind other disabled pedestrians but all pedestrians, I remain skeptical over this technology," says Wayne Antle, Ottawa-Gatineau president of Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians. "We’ve yet to see a demonstration of how this technology will work and what I don’t want to see is the e-scooter companies saying, 'We’re going to this technology, we’re going to test it during this pilot.' Well that’s basically saying we’re going to be using vulnerable pedestrians as Guinea Pigs while we test out whether this technology works as it’s supposed to work.”
Antle notes cities Toronto and Montreal have scrapped e-scooter programs over safety concerns.
"I know some people enjoy using them but to me safety trumps that and it’s a real concern to a blind person," Antle said. "I’m totally blind and I would be afraid walking downtown, you know if they operate the same way they operated in the last two years. I know people in wheelchairs that have gone on the street to get around these e-scooters."
Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services will have dedicated officers monitoring parking and relocating/impounding e-scooters.
There were nearly 500,000 trips on e-scooters in Ottawa last year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.