New Westminster will consider whether to hop on board the province’s electric kick scooter pilot project.
In 2021, the province launched an electric kick scooter initiative that allowed individuals and local governments to test the use of electric kick scooters in communities participating in a pilot project. Results of the pilot project will be used to determine if and how electric kick scooters should be authorized for permanent use in B.C.
The pilot project was set to end on April 5.
Coun. Ruby Campbell said the province has extended the pilot project for up to four more years and is inviting new communities to join the program with updated terms.
At its March 11 meeting, council unanimously approved a Campbell’s motion to direct staff to evaluate the opportunity for the city to join the pilot program and to report back to council with a recommendation on participation.
“We know that active transportation and the safety of vulnerable road users is a priority for New Westminster,” Campbell said. “I've met regularly with Walkers Caucus, we hear from HUB New Westminster and the New Westminster community, including many of the seniors at Century House, and many have expressed concerns around user group conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, e-mobility users, as we try to work out our robust active transportation network.”
Campbell said the city's e-mobility strategy also includes actions to incorporate e-mobility into city planning and outreach and to advocate support for e-mobility policy.
With the province now inviting new communities to join the pilot program, Campbell said it’s a good time to ask staff to consider how that would work for New Westminster.
According to the province, electric kick scooters are only allowed in designated areas within participating pilot communities. Riders must follow provincial electric kick scooter rules and any bylaw rules set by the pilot project community.
Coun. Daniel Fontaine supported the motion, saying it was a good initiative. He’s looking forward to hearing back from staff about whether the city should undertake this plot project and the amount of staff time that would be required to launch this initiative.
“I anticipate it's a little bit more than a few hours to undertake this particular pilot program. So I look forward to getting that information back from staff,” he said. “Secondly, I'm also torn a bit in that sometimes it's best to let others pilot things, and they get all the kinks out of it and then you end up kind of taking it on after someone else's spent a lot of time staff resources that's actually working out the kinks.”
In September 2023, council unanimously approved Fontaine’s motion to have staff report back to council regarding the operational and budget considerations pertaining to the implementation of a bylaw that imposes speed limits on sidewalks to help reduce the risk of pedestrian injuries.
Fontaine said he had heard from a number of seniors who are concerned about the increasing numbers of e-scooters, e-skateboards and other electric mobility devices that are on sidewalks.
At that time, staff told council that the City of New Westminster isn’t at a point where it can prohibit these devices or implement a bylaw that restricts their use in any way because they're not permitted to be used on B.C. roads under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Lisa Leblanc, the city’s director of engineering, said several B.C. communities are participating in the provincial electric kick scooter pilot project, which allows participating municipalities to enact bylaws regulating the use of these devices in their communities.
“We are not part of that pilot, so they remain prohibited in the city,” she said.
What about E-Bikes?
In January 2024, city council endorsed the implementation plan for an e-bike share system in New Westminster. Council also directed staff to initiate the procurement of an e-bike share operator.
After doing an e-bike feasibility study, staff recommended the city hire a private company to install and operate the e-bike system, an approach that’s been used in some other Lower Mainland cities.
“Shared micro-mobility systems provide sustainable mobility opportunities, facilitating a mode shift away from automobiles toward cycling,” said a staff report. “The provision of an e-bike share service works in support of the city’s mode share targets of 60 per c net of all trips made by sustainable transportation mode by 2030.”
According to the Jan. 22 report to council, e-scooters may be considered as a shared micro-mobility option in the future.
“E-scooters are currently legal in communities that have opted in to the provincial electric kick-scooter pilot project,” said the report. “If New Westminster opts into the pilot and legalizes e-scooters, shared scooters could be added to an e-bike share program.”
In January, city staff estimated an e-bike share program could launch in New Westminster this summer.
