N環球 
Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough bans e-scooters from parks and sidewalks as youth injuries surge
Saint-Laurent has amended its road-safety bylaw to keep e-scooters and other motorized personal mobility devices out of parks, trails and sidewalks; Montreal Children's Hospital warns of a sharp rise in youth injuries.
Why it matters
The Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent has adopted an amendment to its road-safety bylaw (Bylaw no. 878) prohibiting e-scooters, e-unicycles and other motorized personal mobility devices (MPMDs) in public spaces under its jurisdiction — including parks, trails and sidewalks. It is among the first boroughs in Quebec to draw a clear line, following a summer of incidents and near misses.
Key points
Borough councillor Vana Nazarian told CBC the bylaw aims to protect the most vulnerable users of public spaces. "We're not banning them, but we want to make sure that with the speeds that these scooters have, they stay more on places where vulnerable populations won't be at risk." Saint-Laurent is home to many young families and seniors who should be able to use parks and trails without fear of collision.
Exceptions cover motorized mobility aids, vehicles moved on foot with the engine off, emergency responses and borough-authorized activities. Provincial rules still apply: riders must be at least 14, wear a helmet at all times, observe a 25 km/h speed limit, with a $200 fine for speeding.
Medical data is alarming: the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) found e-scooter hospitalizations among children aged 5 to 17 rose 61% between 2023 and 2024. Montreal Children's Hospital treated about 80 e-scooter injury cases last year, and nearly 60% of the seriously injured children were under the legal riding age of 14. Trauma director Deborah Friedman has called for raising the minimum age to 16, in line with most other provinces.
Full report
Quebec has extended its e-scooter pilot project to 2028, permitting use on roads with speed limits under 50 km/h and on bike paths. As the devices spread and get faster, municipalities are reviewing their rules. Saint-Laurent's amendment also gives the borough council power to designate, by order, locations where MPMDs may be allowed and set conditions — leaving room for finer-grained rules later.
Sources: CBC Montréal (2026-10-18), Ville de Montréal, Montreal Children's Hospital, CIHI.
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