Office of the Premier
The benefits and effects of people using e-scooters will be studied in detail to help more local governments across B.C. evaluate how this clean and popular mode of personal transportation can be safely integrated into local transportation networks.
“E-scooters are part of an ongoing shift toward electric personal mobility that’s reducing emissions by giving people new clean and affordable options to get around,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “We’re making it easier for local governments to test e-scooters on their own roads, so we can ensure future regulations represent the needs of people across the province.”
The safety review will start on April 5, 2024, and run for four years. The review replaces the first phase of the e-scooter pilot project that began in 2021, where the use of electric kick scooters was tested in 13 participating communities over a three-year period. The review enables the collection of better health and safety data, which is needed to address outstanding questions about the safe integration of e-scooters into transportation networks. This will help determine if and how electric kick scooters should be permanently authorized for general use in B.C.
During the next four-year period, people will be able to legally use e-scooters in any community that authorizes their use. Participating communities will continue to prescribe how and where electric kick scooters can be used, subject to new regulations. A new streamlined onboarding process will make it easier for smaller and rural communities to test electric kick scooters and address local needs.
Visit the project website to find out if electric kick scooters are authorized for use in your community: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-environment/active-transportation/scooter
“Use of e-scooters for personal transportation is growing in communities across B.C.,” said councillor Trish Mandewo, president, Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM). “Local governments have asked the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to work with them to ensure that appropriate regulation is in place and will welcome the findings the pilot projects will yield. UBCM appreciates this collaborative and constructive effort to address a critical shift in public transportation.”
During the next phase of examination, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will lead an ongoing safety evaluation, together with government partners, ICBC and the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU). This work will complement safety evaluations supplied by communities participating in the review.
“The BCIRPU is pleased to partner with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on this important project to evaluate e-scooter safety data relating to injuries,” said Dr. Ian Pike, director, BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit. “This project will clarify any safety and injury concerns, advance our understanding of micromobility and determine whether e-scooters can be a viable mode of transportation on our roads.”
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be hosting outreach sessions with interested local governments over the coming months to provide information and encourage participation.
Quick Facts:
- Electric kick scooters are battery-powered devices with a motor, two to four wheels, a platform for standing and handlebars for steering.
- Electric kick scooters are a form of active transportation that has been shown to reduce vehicle trips and help support connections to public transportation.
- Ontario and Quebec are also evaluating the use of electric kick scooters.
- Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act passed in spring 2023 establish a new legislative framework for testing new and emerging forms of active transportation.
- The government began the first stage of the project in 2021 to test the use of electric kick scooters in participating communities for a three-year period.
Learn More:
For more information about the electric kick scooter pilot project, visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-environment/active-transportation/scooter
