The province will be kicking off a four-year review in April on an emerging mode of transportation.
B.C. announced Friday (Dec. 1) that a detailed safety study is coming for electric kick scooters, which will replace the first phase of the e-scooter pilot project that first started in 2021 which tested the use of the transportation in 13 communities over a three-year period.
This new safety review will start April 4, 2024 and run for four years. It’s aimed at collecting better health and safety data which is needed to address outstanding questions about the safe integration of scooters into transportation networks.
With the review, the Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry will work with ICBC and the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit
During this four-year period, people will be able to legally use the e-scooters in any communities that permits their use.
Participating communities will continue to outline how and where the scooters can be used, while a new streamlined onboarding process is said to make it easier for smaller and rural communities to test the transportation method.
READ MORE: Kelowna, Vernon among communities approved for e-mobility pilot project
The current pilot project communities include Coquitlam, Cranbrook, Kelowna, Nanaimo, North Vancouver (city and district), Richmond, Vancouver, Vernon, West Vancouver, Oliver, Osoyoos and Langley Township.
The province says that amendments passing in spring 2023 to the Motor Vehicle Act have established new legislative framework for testing new and emerging forms of active transportation.
Meanwhile, Ontario and Quebec are also evaluating the use of electric kick scooters.
READ MORE: Rules for electric scooter use coming to Langley Township