Item - 2021.DI14.1

The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee communicates to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee and City Council, for consideration with the next staff report on electric kick scooters, that:

1. The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee does not support the use of any electric kick-scooters (e-scooters) including any pilot project in the City of Toronto; and request that a ban prohibiting their use in all public space remain in place without any exceptions, as they:

a. create a general safety hazard in the public realm for all Toronto residents;

b. add further barriers for the elderly and persons living with disabilities; 

c. are poorly enforced when illegally used due to insufficient enforcement resources;

d. further encumber pre-existing inadequate infrastructure. 
 

2.  The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends that City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board, the General Manager, Transportation Services, and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to consult with accessibility stakeholders to:

a. develop a public education campaign to effectively convey the existing by-laws on the prohibition of e-scooters use in all public spaces;

b.  actively scale up city-wide enforcement of the by-law prohibiting use of e-scooters in all public spaces.

The Project Manager, Strategic Policy and Innovation, Transportation Services gave a presentation on Electric Kick-Scooters (E-scooters) - Accessibility Feedback.

Janet Lo, Senior Project Manager, Strategic Policy and Innovation, Transportation Services will give a presentation on the status of electric kick-scooters in Toronto including potential solutions for accessibility and insurance issues for the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee's feedback. Comments on the proposed solutions from key accessibility stakeholders will also be presented to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee.