Towards safe, sustainable, and equitable e-scooter policy in Canada

Dockless shared electric scooter (e-scooter) systems have spread rapidly to cities across the world since 2017. They are poised to expand to additional cities in Canada with the potential to complement existing transit, reduce car-dependency, and support climate and social equity goals.

This research project surveys current e-scooter policy in cities in the U.S. and Canada to identify patterns in regulation under five key themes: (1) economic sustainability, (2) environmental sustainability and resilience, (3) transportation integration, (4) social equity, and (5) public health and safety. The survey reveals that regulations vary greatly across jurisdictions and continue to evolve as more pilot projects are conducted. However, current policies fail to satisfactorily address the aspirational goals of e-scooter programs set by municipalities, particularly with regard to transit integration and social equity. Pilot project policy recommendations are provided to aid municipal planners in developing local e-scooter policies in Canada.

Key words: e-scooters, dockless, shared micromobility, policy