E-scooters returning to Ottawa with new rules, features

Ottawa’s e-scooters will be back rolling up and down on city streets by summertime, but this year riders will be able to take the scooters onto the O-Train.

Bird Canada, Lime and Neuron will all be back for another round this year, however, Ottawa Public Health is still determining the launch date.

When launched, this year’s pilot project will expand the number of available scooters to 1,200, from 600 in 2020, in an expanded central deployment area.

The city said the 2021 program is focused on reducing sidewalk riding and improper parking. This include the competitive procurement process, which prioritized safety and accessibility in the selection of e-scooter providers, as well as a variety of measures that will be deployed by the providers.

Shared e-scooters are for single riders 16 and older and are equipped with a bell, a brake and lights.

Helmets are recommended for all riders and are mandatory for riders under 18.

The scooters can be unlocked through the app available from the e-scooter providers and used from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

They have a 20 km/h speed limited under the e-scooter bylaw and are not allowed on sidewalks, NCC pathways or in the City of Gatineau.

Riders of shared e-scooters must agree in the app to not ride on sidewalks, to follow the rules and to park e-scooters upright in the sidewalk furniture zone, beside the curb, in line with trees and benches and before the vehicle can be unlocked.

The app also provides COVID-19 hand washing and physical distancing messaging consistent with OPH guidelines.

E-scooter providers employ geofencing technology, which means the company can slow machines down to a crawl and prevent them from being parked in areas that are off limits.