REGINA - E-scooters are now allowed in the city of Regina.
At City Hall on Wednesday, council passed amendments to the Traffic Bylaw and to the Parks and Open Space Bylaw, allowing e-scooters to be used effective immediately.
According to the city’s news release, E-scooters are now allowed on bike lanes, park pathways, multi-use pathways and roads with a speed limit of 50 km/hour or less.
Operators must be 16 or older, must wear a helmet, and cannot exceed maximum speeds of 24 km/h on roadways. In slower speed areas such as pathways, e-scooters cannot exceed the maximum speed of 15 km/h. They are not being allowed on high-speed roads or sidewalks; where available, they must use designated bike lanes where available.
Previously, council had voted in favor of a shared e-scooter program which is set to launch in July. Those will be available to rent through a vendor’s app once in place, and the city says more information will be available when the shared program launches in the summer.
Proponents of e-scooters have touted their use as a transportation option because they are an environmentally friendly alternative. The City of Regina says the use of e-scooters will help achieve their goal by 2050 of becoming a renewable, net zero City.