E-scooters return to Ottawa roads for the summer

Bird e-scooters parked on Rideau Street in Ottawa on Monday, April 27. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)

E-scooters return to the streets of Ottawa today, kicking off another season of electric scooters across the capital.

Bird scooters were spotted at several locations in downtown Ottawa Monday morning, including on Elgin Street and on Rideau Street near the Rideau Centre.

Ottawa has agreements for Bird and Neuron Mobility to offer e-scooters for rent on city streets.

According to Bird’s website, e-scooters are available from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily in Ottawa.

The e-scooter program deployment area is bounded by St. Laurent Boulevard in the east, Rideau River/Carling Avenue in the south, Churchill Avenue in the west and the Ottawa River to the north.

The rules for e-scooters include:

• E-scooter may be available to rent 24 hours a day, with some restrictions (such as the ByWard Market).
• Riders must be 16 years or older. E-scooter users under the age of 18 must wear a helmet.
• E-scooters can operate on the City of Ottawa’s multiuse pathways, cycling facilities, and roads with a speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour or lower.
• E-scooters are not allowed to operate on National Capital Commission pathways
• Maximum operating speed in Ottawa is 20 kilometres per hour.
• E-scooters cannot operate on sidewalks or in transit stations.

Ottawa Public Health strongly recommends all users wear a helmet to reduce the risk of injury.

The Ottawa Police Service issued a media release on Monday to remind riders and the public about the rules for operating e-scooters safety.

“We get a lot of questions about how to operate an e-scooter; the same rules and safety precautions for bicycles apply to e-scooters,” said Sgt. Josh Callaghan in a statement. “Be safe, wear safety equipment, and watch out for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and children.”

Police offer the following tips for using e-scooters:

• Ride in bike lanes or on the shoulder of a roadway and not on sidewalks
• All riders are encouraged to wear helmets and wear bright and reflective clothing so that drivers can see them during the day and at night.
• Your e-scooters must have a bell or a horn, as well as a white light on the front of the e-scooter and a red light on the back of the vehicle
• Do not drive distracted and do not drive impaired
• E-scooters are designed for one user at a time. You cannot ride an e-scooter with a passenger.

Police say riders who are found using their e-scooters on sidewalks are subject to a $150 fine.

Last year, Neuron said riders clocked over 220,000 kilometres on their scooters cross Ottawa. The longest single trip on a Neuron e-scooter was 28 kilometres.

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