An E-Scooter & Micromobility Policy for Oakville
Protecting kids today. Getting Oakville’s rules right for tomorrow.
What This Means for You
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Oakville has not opted into Ontario’s E-Scooter Pilot, so e-scooters are currently prohibited on Oakville roads, sidewalks, multi-use trails and parks. Jeff supports keeping the current rules while the Town completes its review and Council weighs the evidence.
Key Actions
Protect Kids Now
Act on illegal and unsafe underage use through education, school policies, parental awareness and appropriate enforcement — without waiting for a decision on the provincial pilot.
Keep the Age Rule Clear
Make sure parents, students and riders understand that Ontario’s minimum age of 16 applies whether or not Oakville joins the pilot. Joining would not legalize e-scooters for children under 16.
Complete Oakville’s Pilot Review
Maintain the current rules while the Town completes its E-Scooter Implementation Review of safety, accessibility, community impacts and lessons from other municipalities.
Keep E-Scooters Off Ordinary Sidewalks
Pedestrians, seniors, children and people with disabilities must come first. Oakville’s own E-Scooter Strategy is not considering e-scooters on sidewalks or unpaved trails.
Strengthen Enforcement
Work with Halton Regional Police, Municipal Enforcement and the Province to use existing authority effectively, and pursue provincial changes where more enforcement powers are needed.
Put Schools and Parents at the Centre
Work with school boards, police and community partners so families know the minimum age, where devices can legally be used, helmet rules and whether a device is lawful for public use.
Push for Better Point-of-Sale Information
Ask the Province to require clear information at purchase about age limits, legal operating locations, and power and speed limits. Being for sale does not make a device legal on public property.
Deal With High-Powered and Modified Devices
Regulate devices by what they actually are, not how they are marketed. Ontario’s pilot covers scooters up to 500 watts and 24 km/h — devices well beyond that are not ordinary legal e-scooters.
Use Injury and Collision Data
Use information from hospitals, paramedics, public health, police and participating municipalities on injuries, collisions, rider ages and device types before changing Oakville’s rules.
Want to Go Deeper?
Two Issues, Not One
Oakville has two related but distinct e-scooter issues to address. The first is immediate: how do we better protect children and address the use of electric kick-scooters by riders under 16? The second is a policy decision: should Oakville eventually participate in Ontario’s E-Scooter Pilot and permit qualifying e-scooters for people legally entitled to operate them?
Those questions should not be confused. Ontario’s pilot regulation sets a minimum rider age of 16, and Oakville joining the pilot would not allow the Town to lower it. At the same time, the pilot lets municipalities decide whether qualifying e-scooters may operate locally and, if so, where and under what local rules. Both issues need to be addressed.
Protecting Kids Now
The Provincial Pilot
What Jeff Would Need to See Before Supporting Participation
Sidewalks and Pedestrian Safety
Different Devices Need Different Rules
Enforcement That Actually Works
Schools, Parents and Retailers
Work Already Underway
A Safe and Practical Approach
Oakville needs to deal with what is happening today while making a responsible decision about the future: protecting kids now, and getting the pilot decision right. One does not depend on the other — the under-16 rule already exists. Jeff’s approach is guided by four principles: safety first, clear rules, practical enforcement, and evidence before decisions.
Sources & Background
Town of Oakville — E-Scooter Implementation Review Project
Town of Oakville — Electric Scooters & Bikes
Ontario Regulation 389/19 — Pilot Project: Electric Kick-Scooters
Ontario Ministry of Transportation — Electric Kick-Style Scooters
Town of Oakville Transportation Master Plan — Appendix O: E-Scooter Strategy
Halton Police Board — Electric Kick Scooters and Powered Personal Transportation Devices
