Ontario Provincial Police are reminding parents and children that e-scooters may not be permitted in their communities. E-scooters are regulated by the Ontario government but are only permitted where municipalities have passed bylaws around their use. Ontario’s e-scooter pilot program, which allows municipalities to choose where and how e-scooters may be used, was launched in 2020 and runs until Nov. 27, 2029. Not every municipality in Ontario has passed an e-scooter bylaw. The Upper Ottawa Valley (UOV) OPP said in a news release on Wednesday that officers have seen an increase in e-scooter use among young people travelling to and from school in communities where the devices are not allowed. “The OPP is reminding riders and parents that e-scooter use is subject to municipal bylaws and provincial regulations, and that these devices may not be permitted in all communities,” police said. “Currently, no municipalities in UOV jurisdiction are participating in the provincial e-scooter pilot program, meaning e-scooters are not permitted for use on public roads, streets, or sidewalks within those municipalities.” The Town of Petawawa said in late August that staff were directed by council to prepare a bylaw for review, but an e-scooter bylaw has yet to be adopted. “Town staff has received several complaints about youth operating e-scooters on the grounds of the Petawawa Civic Centre, as well as operating them on sidewalks and interfering with pedestrians,” the Town said in a news release on Aug. 31. According to the Ontario government, Highway Traffic Act rules of the road apply to the operation of e-scooters in Ontario. Penalties also apply to violations of the pilot regulation and could result in fines of $250 to $2,500. Bylaw offences may also apply in applicable areas. “There are serious consequences for an e-scooter operator impaired by drugs, alcohol or both. Additional consequences under the Criminal Code may apply,” the government says. In municipalities that have passed bylaws regulating e-scooter use, such as Ottawa, certain provincial rules apply: As e-scooters become more popular, children’s hospitals have been seeing an increase in injuries related to the devices. According to CHEO in Ottawa, there were 93 visits for e-scooter related injuries in the emergency department between July 2025 and June 2026, compared to 34 injuries during the same period the previous year. Both SickKids in Toronto and the Montreal Children’s Hospital have also said they’ve seen sharp increases in e-scooter-related injuries.
