Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update
United for a Barrier-Free Ontario for All People with Disabilities
Website: www.aodaalliance.org
Email: aodafeedback@gmail.com
Twitter: @aodaalliance
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aodaalliance
Sign Up to Attend an Important January 24, 2024 Virtual Public Forum to Give the City of Toronto Feedback on Whether to Legalize Electric Scooters and Other Micromobility Devices in Public Spaces
January 12, 2024
SUMMARY
Here’s a great chance to have your say on an important issue regarding safety and accessibility for people with disabilities in public places.
On the evening of January 24, 2024, the CNIB is hosting a very important virtual public forum. We encourage you to sign up to attend and take part. It gives people with disabilities a chance to give the City of Toronto feedback on whether it should allow the public to ride electric scooters (e-scooters) and/or any other micromobility devices in public. Right now, it is illegal to ride e-scooters in public spaces in Toronto like roads or sidewalks, but there is no effective enforcement of that ban.
Below we share the CNIB’s announcement for this event. Please use the link below to register to take part. A member of City of Toronto staff will make a presentation and will be able to receive your feedback. We are strongly urging members of Toronto City Council to attend and hear from the disability community.
Toronto is now considering whether to hold pilot projects with different kinds of micromobility devices such as electric scooters (e-scooters). People with disabilities and many disability organizations have strongly opposed allowing e-scooters in public places. They say they are a silent menace, racing at 24 KPH or faster, ridden by unlicensed, uninsured, untrained, un-helmeted joy-riders. Even in cities where they are allowed on streets but banned on sidewalks, they are regularly ridden on sidewalks. This endangers people with disabilities, seniors and others. Check out the open letter to City Council that 21 disability and community organizations sent last fall.
As a result of strong disability advocacy, Toronto City Council unanimously voted on May 5, 2021 not to allow e-scooters in public places. However, Toronto now has a new City Council with some new members who seem to support lifting the ban on e-scooters. They need to hear from us.
Last year, City Council asked Toronto City staff to study this issue and bring recommendations to City Council on what Toronto should do. In 2020 and 2021, Toronto City staff submitted carefully researched reports concluding that Toronto should not allow e-scooters. Toronto’s Public Health does not support allowing e-scooters.
We are delighted that CNIB organized this public forum to give people with disabilities a chance to give the City their feedback. This event is open to people with any kind of disability and to anyone concerned about safety for people with disabilities.
We encourage you to:
- Register for this public forum whether you live in Toronto, or want to visit Toronto, or if you live in a city that allows e-scooters and want to share your experience.
- Encourage others to sign up as well.
- Post this announcement on social media. Please circulate this announcement to as many other people as you can reach.
- Contact your member of City Council. Tell them to come to this public forum and hear what we all have to say.
- You can also email your feedback to Toronto by writing micromobility@toronto.ca
We know the e-scooter corporate lobbyists will be very busy pressuring City Council members to allow e-scooters and other micromobility devices. We need City Council to hear our side of the story.
We emphasize that this is not about restricting specialized mobility devices that people with disabilities use.
Learn more about our efforts to address this issue by visiting the AODA Alliance’s e-scooters page.
MORE DETAILS
Have your say: e-scooters and e-bikes virtual public meeting with the City of Toronto for persons with disabilities
Hosted by CNIB, join Janet Lo from the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division for a public meeting on e-scooters, e-bikes, and other micro mobility vehicles in the City of Toronto.
The City of Toronto is consulting the public and conducting research on a proposal for new policies and a new pilot project for small, lightweight vehicles, like electric kick-scooters and electric mini-cars, that are currently not allowed on the City’s streets. While e-bikes are already allowed on bike lanes and streets, electric kick-scooters (also known as e-scooters) are currently not allowed on public streets, sidewalks, or bike lanes. Along with this, electric mini-cars (also known as Low Speed Vehicles) are currently not allowed on public streets either in Toronto.
This virtual public meeting will include a presentation from City staff, followed by an opportunity to ask questions and to provide comments and feedback on the city’s presentation and how it will impact the disability community.
When: Wednesday January 24th 2024
Where: Zoom Virtual Conference Platform (link provided with confirmation of registration)
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
To Register please use link below:
https://cnib.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYoc–rrzIoH9YvQeQnoUh3BIRnaiRjvWxa
If you require assistance or have questions regarding this event, please email or call Neisha Mitchell at Neisha.Mitchell@cnib.ca or (416) 525-7951.