Micromobility describes small, compact, low-speed vehicles that are lighter weight than cars, which can include bicycles, cargo bikes/trikes, folding bikes, electric two, three, or four-wheeled cycles, urban mobility vehicles (i.e. small, one-person e-cars), e-mopeds, electric kick-scooters (e-scooters), and more.
In July 2023 City Council directed staff to develop a micromobility strategy. The strategy will clarify what types of micromobility are allowed to be used and where, and will address key opportunities and challenges that micromobility presents. Key issues include safety and the interaction of vehicles of different mass and speed, infrastructure considerations, education and enforcement (e.g. addressing illegal sidewalk riding and illegal blocking of bike lanes and cycle tracks).
In May 2021, City Council declined to participation in an Ontario Pilot Project for Electric Kick-Scooters due to concerns about safety, liability and impacts to elderly residents and persons living with disabilities. Electric Kick-Scooters (e-scooters) are not allowed to be operated, left, stored or parked on any public street in Toronto including bicycle lanes, cycle tracks, trails, paths, sidewalks or parks.
In late summer 2023 to early 2024, City staff are conducting research, including a review of other jurisdictions, and engaging the public and internal and interested parties to support the creation of the strategy.
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Existing rules on where you can operate micromobility are available on the City’s Cycling & the Law, and E-bikes and E-scooters webpages.
Existing shared micromobility is expanding across the city with Bike Share Toronto’s 2023 expansion and Four-Year Growth Plan. Bike Share Toronto currently provides a shared fleet of over 9,000 bikes at over 700 stations spanning Toronto’s cycling network. In addition, 1,300 new e-bikes are being introduced to its network with a target of 2,000 e-bikes by 2025. It’s adding stations in the north, east and west, and expanding supply at TTC subway stations. Bike Share Toronto ridership was 4.6 million in 2022, which was exceeded in Oct 6, 2023 and is projected to reach 5.4 million by end of 2023.
Existing micromobility pilot projects in Toronto include the large e-cargo bike pilot, the on-street logistics mini-hub pilot, and the multi-passenger pedalled quadricycles pilot.
The strategy will guide the use of micromobility vehicles in the city and will prioritize road user safety. It will explain the benefits and drawbacks of different types of micromobility for the City and will outline a clear set of rules for where certain vehicles can operate and park. The strategy will address how to best integrate micromobility into our transportation system and will consider and clarify the different pilot project opportunities under provincial regulations. The strategy will be developed based on research, including a review of other jurisdictions, as well as engagement of the public and interested parties in late 2023/early 2024.
The micromobility strategy will address numerous adopted motions at Toronto City Council including the request for a strategy. In July 2023 two other motions were adopted: 1) to make helmets mandatory in the case that any e-scooter pilots are proposed; and 2) to require standardized individual identification markings to be installed on e-scooters as part of any proposed pilots. Motions adopted by City Council in May 2023 will also be addressed within the strategy, which request staff to investigate options for requiring motorized or motor-assisted micromobility vehicles to bear a unique identifier when being used for commercial purposes (e.g. deliveries through on-demand delivery apps); and on how to deter dangerous illegal behaviour by those who operate motorized or motor-assisted vehicles on sidewalks. The strategy will comprehensively address micromobility including safety (e.g. impacts on micromobility from illegal parking in bike lanes), its benefits case and future opportunities (e.g. on-street parking, micromobility charging, etc.), and implementation considerations.
The strategy is being coordinated with other related policies and projects at the City including, but not limited to, the Cycling Network Plan and the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, as well as sustainable transportation initiatives by Economic Development & Culture, Environment & Climate, People & Equity, Toronto Parking Authority’s Bike Share Toronto, TTC 4-Year Service Plan, Sustainable City of Toronto Fleets Plan, and many other Divisions and Agencies, Boards and Commissions. It would address the anticipated Province of Ontario’s new micromobility regulations.
The City of Toronto received public feedback on the use of micromobility, e.g. bikes, e-bikes and other small vehicles. The results from the survey will be used along with other research and input to develop a city-wide strategy for micromobility, including what new forms of mobility might be allowed in future on streets and/or in bike lanes.
Staff will also be engaging interested parties through an initial series of meetings and workshops held in late 2023 and early 2024.
For general micromobility questions and feedback, email micromobility@toronto.ca
The comment period for Developing a Micromobility Strategy has now closed. The Public Consultation Report summarizes the feedback received.
On Thursday, February 29, the City of Toronto hosted Telephone Town Hall on Micromobility. Participants were able to pose questions and provide feedback live on the telephone, and online.
Presentation materials from the town hall available here: Developing a Micromobility Strategy – Telephone Town Hall.
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