Item - 2026.IE29.10

That:

1. City Council expedite the request made by the Infrastructure and Environment Committee and request the General Manager, Transportation Services and the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with Toronto Police Service and vulnerable road users, to report back to the December 9 and 10, 2026, meeting of City Council with recommendations to amend Toronto’s by-laws for bike lanes, cycle tracks, and multi-use trails to prohibit in all cycling infrastructure any motorized vehicle other than a Class 1 or Class 2 power-assisted bicycle.

2. City Council request the Minister of Transportation to amend the Highway Traffic Act to develop a process that authorizes Toronto Police to seize and impound, at the curb, unlicenced motorized micromobility vehicles that move by motor power at more than 32 km/hour.

3. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to engage and request courier and transportation businesses operating in Toronto to educate contractors on the penalties associated with illegal speed control or battery modifications to motorized micromobility vehicles and the requirement to comply with all rules of the road.

4. City Council request the Minister of Transportation to add an appearance-based exclusion, modelled on Quebec's Highway Safety Code, that disqualifies motorcycle and moped-styled devices from being considered a Class 1 or Class 2 power-assisted bicycle, regardless of label, based on visible features such as footrests, body panels, and motorcycle-style wheels.

5. City Council request the Minister of Transportation to mandate top-tier safety certification (UL 2849 and UL 2271) for electrical systems and batteries of motorized micromobility vehicles sold, leased or operated in Ontario, other than a Class 1 or Class 2 power-assisted bicycle.

6. City Council direct the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to report back in 2027 on licensing rental agencies and retailers of motorized micromobility vehicles, other than a Class 1 or Class 2 power-assisted bicycle, including requirements for vendors to provide safety information to customers in a posted point-of-sale notice and submit safety data.

Amended by motion 2b by Mayor Chow.

REVISED

That:

1. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Community and Emergency Services and the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services and other relevant divisions, agencies and corporations, to report back in the first quarter of 2027 with an analysis of and options for potential municipal by-laws or rules that would protect persons and property from the safety risks of lithium-ion batteries, including those which do not meet safety certifications (such as UL 2849 and UL 2271) and/or found in e-bikes and other micromobility devices, and to inform the analysis and options with a jurisdictional scan including recent legislation from New York City, San Francisco, New York State, and California.
 

2. City Council request the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, and Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation, to report back in the first quarter of 2027 with options to ensure the safe storage of micromobility devices containing lithium-ion batteries.

3. City Council request the Minister of Transportation to amend the Highway Traffic Act to develop a process that authorizes a police officer to seize and/or impound motorized micromobility vehicles that have been illegally modified or which exceed a speed of 32km/hr contrary to provincial statute or municipal by-law. 

4. City Council request the Minister of Transportation to create a system of standardized markers that would be affixed by manufacturers or retailers to micromobility vehicles that designate the vehicle’s class under the Highway Traffic Act or other regulations. 

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with Toronto Police Service, to develop a training program to help police officers easily identify different micromobility devices and where they are permitted to operate on the road network.

6. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to continue to collaborate on the Power-Assisted Bicycle proposals with the Ministry of Transportation to ensure that the City’s micromobility by-laws support the safety of cyclists and micromobility users, and pedestrians across the City.

7. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to collaborate with the Toronto Police Service on education and enforcement blitzes targeting micromobility devices on sidewalks.

8. City Council direct the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services to continue providing advice on amendments to the Ontario Fire Code that would prevent or mitigate lithium-ion battery fires through the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall’s Technical Advisory Committee which was established in response to City Council’s request in 2025.MM33.3. 

9. City Council direct the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services to submit comments with advice on regulations under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act to Health Canada in response to their Notice of Intent to regulate lithium-ion batteries in consumer products under the Act. 

10. City Council request the Federal Minister of Transport and the Federal Minister of Health to introduce  regulations that require mandatory safety regulations to  address the public fire safety risk created by lithium-ion batteries in micromobility devices, including but not limited to, new or enhanced regulations under the Canada Transportation Act, Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, and the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act. 

11. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Toronto Police Service, to continue evaluating the success of the ongoing enforcement blitzes as outlined in 2025.IE24.1.

12. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to require app companies and vendors/lessors of motorized micromobility vehicles to notify buyers, lessees, and contractors of the risks and penalties associated with altering vehicles and devices and of their legal responsibilities related to the operation of a motorized micromobility device, and report back in the first quarter of 2027 with an update on implementation and, in the event they are required, to seek additional authorities to implement this direction. 

That City Council amend part 3 of motion by Councillor Brad Bradford by adding the words "and report back in the first quarter of 2027 with an update on implementation and, in the event they are required, to seek additional authorities to implement this direction", so that it now reads as follows:

3. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to engage and request courier and transportation businesses operating in Toronto to educate contractors on the penalties associated with illegal speed control or battery modifications to motorized micromobility vehicles and the requirement to comply with all rules of the road, and report back in the first quarter of 2027 with an update on implementation and, in the event they are required, to seek additional authorities to implement this direction.