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WFP Editorial: Law will curb e-scooter enthusiasts (Oct15'26)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Oct '26

15 Oct '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. EDITORIAL Law will curb e-scooter enthusiasts https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/2026/10/15/law-will-cu… FOR people concerned about safety on Manitoba’s sidewalks and roadways, the province’s announcement that new rules will be introduced next year regarding the use of e-scooters and other personal electric vehicles (PEVs) was no doubt met with an enthusiastic “It’s about time.” As their popularity and their presence among pedestrians on sidewalks and/or motor vehicles on the road has increased steadily, so have reports of close calls or, even worse, collisions involving e-scooters or other PEVs — including electric skateboards, hoverboards and unicycles — being operated imprudently and at unsafe speeds. Traffic laws urgently need to be updated to govern the use of these conveyances, which up until now have remained in a regulatory grey area that has allowed PEVs to operate largely without guidelines and outside conventional avenues of traffic-safety enforcement. Accordingly, updates regarding PEV use will be included in the Highway Traffic Act in 2027. The new legislation will govern such areas as mandatory helmet use, age restrictions, where PEVs can lawfully operate and the maximum speed at which they can travel (25 km/h). The aim of the new law, according to the province’s website, is “to help keep Manitobans safe when sharing roads, paths, and other public spaces.” A laudable goal, indeed. And the restrictions proposed within the legislation seem to sensibly address concerns about PEV use on sidewalks, cycling paths and roadways. But the impending rollout of the regulations inevitably prompts a fairly direct question: “OK, so now what?” In other words, who’s going to enforce these new restrictions, and how? The practical elements of the proposed legislation are straightforward: PEV users must be at least 16 years of age and must wear a properly fitted helmet; PEV use is restricted to roads with speed limits of 50 km/h or less as well as bicycle lanes, pathways and cycling facilities (subject to local rules), and PEVs cannot be used on sidewalks except where signage specifically permits their use. The enforcement portion of the equation, however, seems significantly less clear: according to the government website, “Police and other peace officers can stop PEV riders, enforce the rules, and inspect PEVs and safety equipment to ensure they meet legal requirements.” There’s no mention of what the penalties will be for violating the new law, and given the limited availability of law-enforcement personnel to deal with other non-emergency situations in Winnipeg and other jurisdictions, it’s difficult to envision a scenario in which policing PEV use becomes a high-priority consideration. There are, of course, many PEV users who will welcome and obey the new legislation as enacted, because they understand how the addition of these practical and eco-friendly options for active transportation must be accompanied by regulations that allow them to safely co-exist with other users of pathways and roadways. Unfortunately, as in all other segments of society, there are those in the PEV-using community who have chosen — and will no doubt continue to choose — to operate in a manner that puts themselves and others at risk. Expecting them to self-police is, quite frankly, pointless. There’s little reason to expect the introduction of helmet requirements and speed limits will prompt a change in behaviour of those who habitually careen helmetlessly along sidewalks at whatever top speed their e-scooter can achieve, weaving in and out of pedestrian traffic with an apparent disregard for the calamity they risk creating, E-scooters seem to be everywhere these days, in greater numbers with each passing warm-weather month. It will be up to the province and law-enforcement agencies to use the coming winter respite from e-scooter chaos to figure out how to turn the new legislation’s admirable intentions into a realistically enforceable set of road-safety rules.

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CBC: Age, speed limits for e-scooters and other personal electric vehicles hitting Manitoba roads next year (Oct11'26)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Oct '26

12 Oct '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Devices to be banned from sidewalks, roads with speed limits above 50 km/h https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-personal-electric-vehicle-… People who ride personal electric vehicles, like e-scooters and electric skateboards, will soon have to abide by new age and speed limits for the devices, as new rules are expected to hit roads across the province next year. Those vehicles, along with e-unicycles, hoverboards and self balancing scooters, will be subject to new regulations under Manitoba's Highway Traffic Act <https://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/43-3/b043e.php> starting in 2027, according to the province's website<https://www.manitoba.ca/mti/roadinfo/personal_electric_vehicles.html>. Riders must be at least 16 years old and anyone using the devices, including passengers, are required to wear properly fitting helmets, the province says. Personal electric vehicles can't go faster than 25 km/h under the incoming speed limit. They won't be allowed on sidewalks and can only be used on pathways, bicycle lanes and roads with posted speed limits of 50 km/h or lower, the province said. Depending on local rules, they may be allowed at some cycling facilities. However, e-bikes — which are not affected by the new rules — are allowed to ride on roads with speed limits higher than 50 km/h, a provincial frequently-asked questions document <https://www.manitoba.ca/mti/roadinfo/pdf/faqs_personal_electric_vehicles.pdf> says. The government says personal electric vehicle users should adhere to the same basic rules as other road users, including following traffic signs and signals, not riding while impaired by alcohol or drugs, and using required lights and reflectors when riding at night. Police and other peace officers can stop riders who aren't following the new rules, the province said. CBC News has reached out to the Winnipeg Police Service for comment. Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor said in a statement on Saturday that more Manitobans are using personal electric vehicles and the government is "bringing in clearer rules to help protect kids and everyone sharing our roads." The minister said the province is particularly concerned about the number of young people that have been injured while using these devices. For example, a teenaged e-scooter rider was critically injured in a collision<https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/scooter-ebike-crash-teen-witness-9.…> on Waverley Street in Winnipeg last month. "This legislation is about preventing injuries, protecting kids and making our roads and communities safer for everyone," Naylor said. Earlier this year, the southern Manitoba city of Morden introduced its own personal electric vehicle bylaws, which require riders to wear helmets and stay off sidewalks, among other rules. Mayor Nancy Penner says more people are wearing helmets and sticking to one rider per device. She said just a handful of tickets have been issued to riders since the bylaws — which are largely being used as an "educational tool" — came into effect in the spring. Morden's bylaws don't include an age restriction or speed limit, but Penner says that will change once the provincial rules hit the road. She believes other communities will be supportive of the government's move too. "I think a lot of municipalities are finally saying thank you to the provincial government for finally stepping forward with some concrete guidelines," Penner said. Winnipeg e-scooter advocate Rob Kristjansson says he has a "range of feelings" about Manitoba's incoming rules. While he thinks the changes will be mostly good, he questions some of the details. "We all have to share the roadway and that they're now officially recognized as a legitimate thing on the road, that's a great thing," said Kristjansson, who moderates the E-Scooter Winnipeg Facebook group. He says he's not inherently against speed limits, but he's not sure why 25 km/h was chosen as the maximum. He says he typically rides at 32 km/h, which is the speed limit for e-bikes. He also believes 16 years-old is an "arbitrary" age limit. Kristjansson also says some e-scooter users are worried about being banned from using sidewalks, because Winnipeg's infrastructure is "still quite patchy" and there may be few safe options for them to use in some parts of the city. "It's not so much rules, but infrastructure that I think will really save the day," he said. Winnipeg father Eric Wilson says he's been riding an e-scooter for about three years. He mostly uses it for grocery runs and riding on trails alongside his 13-year-old son. He believes the incoming rules are "overbearing" and worries they could push people off their vehicles altogether, turning them into e-waste and making them "practically useless." "I feel like everybody that's riding an e-scooter is getting punished for the worst people that are out there," Wilson said. He said he doesn't feel safe riding with his son on a 50 km/h road and they typically opt for the sidewalk. Sharing the sidewalk shouldn't be an issue if riders are aware of their surroundings and respectful of other users. "I teach my son when I ride that we slow down when we go close to people and let ourselves be known," he said, adding he and his son both have bells on their e-scooters. "Just like a bicycle would, you're supposed to let people know that you're around and that you're not going to hurt them." Wilson said his son just got a new e-scooter in August. Now he's not sure if he should hold on to the scooter or sell it, since his son will be under the age limit for a few more years.

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WFP: Manitoba e-scooter legislation changes set to impose speed limit, age restrictions, sidewalk ban (Oct11'26)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Oct '26

12 Oct '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Manitoba e-scooter legislation changes set to impose speed limit, age restrictions, sidewalk ban https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/10/11/manitoba-e-scoote… People riding e-scooters and other personal electric vehicles in Manitoba will have to strap on a helmet, stay off sidewalks and follow new age limits once new provincial rules for the devices take effect next year. The vehicles, which also include electric skateboards, hoverboards and unicycles, will fall under The Highway Traffic Act starting in 2027, according to the province’s <https://www.manitoba.ca/mti/roadinfo/personal_electric_vehicles.html> website<https://www.manitoba.ca/mti/roadinfo/personal_electric_vehicles.html>. E-bikes are excluded from the new rules, according to the province’s frequently-asked-questions page. All riders must be at least 16 years old and wear properly fitting helmets — that goes for passengers, too, the province said. The proposed new legislation sets a speed limit of 25 km/h and would prohibit personal electric vehicles from sidewalks unless signs specifically allow sidewalk use. Riders would be using shared paths or roads with speed limits of 50 km/hr or less. They won’t be allowed to operate the vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs and they must use hand signals and obey traffic signs. Police and peace officers are responsible for enforcing the rules, the province said. The province’s site does not outline penalties. Winnipeg police said no one was available to speak about the new standards on Sunday. Coun. Janice Lukes, the chair of Winnipeg city council’s public works committee, questions how the regulations will be enforced when police resources are scarce. “It’s a double-edged sword because they (e-sc00ters) are really good, but people don’t adhere to rules,” Lukes said. Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor said the new rules aim to clarify how to use e-scooters and address concerns about youth injuries while riding. Manitoba joins other provinces, such as British Columbia and Ontario, that have already enacted similar standards. “This legislation is about preventing injuries, protecting kids and making our roads and communities safer for everyone,” she said in an emailed statement Sunday. E-scooter injuries have steadily climbed across Canada. National numbers show that hospitalizations have surged by nearly 40 per cent from April 2025 to March 2026. The Canadian Institute for Health Information said 837 hospitalizations were reported, up from 601 in the previous 12 months. Hospitalizations of kids aged 15 and under almost tripled from 54 to 150. Ten children died while riding e-scooters or e-bikes in 2025, according to a Canadian Pediatric Society study. Last month, a Winnipeg teenager on an e-scooter suffered life-threatening injuries after an SUV struck him. Manitoba physicians are concerned about the “sharp increase” in injuries related to e-scooters and have previously called for provincial standards, a Doctors Manitoba spokesperson said. ”While we have not yet had the opportunity to consult physicians on the specific safety rules the provincial government has proposed, there is clearly a need for regulations to help avoid injuries related to e-scooter use, as we already have in place for other vehicles,” the spokesperson said in an email. In June, the City of Morden became the first Manitoba municipality to pass regulations on personal electric vehicles. It bans them from sidewalks, requires helmets and mandates a headlight and rear light or reflector at night. Violators can be fined $50. Morden Mayor Nancy Penner said she was pleased the province took action on the vehicles, particularly setting an age limit. More parents are buying e-scooters for their children without teaching the rules of the road, making age restrictions more urgent, she said. “As a driver, I would be devastated if I came into a collision with a youth on a e-scooter, and as a parent, I want to make sure my kids are safe, and I don’t want my 10-year-old in jeopardy on a road without proper training. she said. Robert Chartier, a Winnipeg massage therapist, rode his e-scooter Sunday along the East Kildonan’s Northeast Pioneers Greenway path. He’s commuted to work with his e-scooter for roughly one year, always wearing a helmet. He said he welcomes the speed limit and age restrictions. He’s seen children weaving through traffic on e-scooters and zipping along sidewalks. “It’s honestly very dangerous. I’m surprised it took so long to get regulations put in place,” he said. E-scooter advocate Rob Kristjansson said he will adapt to the new standards and is happy the province formally recognizes the vehicles. But, clarification is needed on where the e-scooters can go when the speed limit on a road is more than 50 km/hr. “An e-scooter should be able to go to the same places as people who walk or (are) riding bikes, and it shouldn’t be a massive diversion because you’re on an e-scooter or any kind of personal electric vehicle,” Kristjansson said. matthew.frank(a)winnipegfreepress.com<mailto:matthew.frank@winnipegfreepress.com>

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WFP OpEd: Other cities build rapid transit, while we wait (Oct9'26)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Oct '26

09 Oct '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Other cities build rapid transit, while we wait KEN KLASSEN https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/10/09/other-cities-… WINNIPEG’S civic election campaign has produced no shortage of promises to improve transit safety and fix problems with the new network. Those issues are real and urgent. But they should not distract from a larger failure — while other Canadian urban regions secure billions in federal support to transform their transit systems, Winnipeg is falling further behind. The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, approved in 2021, sets the right vision — frequent, reliable service anchored by an expanded bus rapid transit (BRT) network. Yet not a single additional BRT corridor has been approved for construction. The modest network proposed in the plan is not projected to be completed until 2045 or beyond. Despite that, city council voted this summer to delay updating the master plan by two years. The full BRT network was estimated at $588 million to $1.1 billion in 2020 — or roughly $720 million to $1.34 billion today, after accounting for construction inflation. That is substantial, but modest compared with what other cities are spending. Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Ottawa and Quebec City have rapid transit projects under way or recently completed, totalling about $26 billion and backed by $7.3 billion in federal commitments. Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal are spending billions more with federal support. Other cities build. Winnipeg waits. Since the mayor and council were elected in October 2022, Winnipeg has had one of the weakest records among major Canadian cities for advancing rapid transit and securing federal cost-sharing. That record deserves scrutiny in this campaign. Timing is critical. The federal Canada Public Transit Fund will provide $25 billion over 10 years beginning in 2026-27. Based on population and ridership, Manitoba should target at least $900 million of that, chiefly for Winnipeg Transit. The $51-billion Build Communities Strong fund offers further funding opportunities for transit improvements. But federal money rewards cities with up-to-date transit plans and projects ready to advance. Applicants must submit a 10-year regional transit investment program for review. Delaying the Transit Master Plan update weakens Winnipeg’s hand precisely as national competition for those infrastructure dollars intensifies. For years, city hall has said Winnipeg cannot solve its infrastructure deficits without more senior-government help. Now that record transit funding is on the table, the city has put off the planning required to maximize it. You cannot plead for funding and then hesitate when it is offered. While other Canadian cities recognize they cannot pave their way out of congestion simply by expanding roads, Winnipeg’s leadership wants to take an opposite path. The city continues to chase senior-government funding for the Chief Peguis Trail extension and Route 90 widening — over $1 billion combined, with highly contested economic benefits — while only $5.8 million has been budgeted for preliminary design of the next phase of rapid transit. Roads matter. But Winnipeg already struggles to maintain the infrastructure it has. New road capacity tends to invite more driving through induced demand and with it more congestion, maintenance costs, taxes and pollution. Transportation produces nearly half of Winnipeg’s greenhouse gas emissions and swapping gasoline and diesel vehicles for electric ones will not fix congestion or the high cost of building and maintaining more roads for car-dependent suburban and exurban development. Expanding transit service, especially rapid transit, is not a luxury for a growing city. It connects people to jobs, schools, health care and essential services. For many newcomers, students, seniors and lower-income households, it is the only practical alternative to the high cost of owning and operating a car. Good transit also supports downtown renewal, affordable housing and the province’s new Path to Net Zero climate strategy. Few cities have a more compelling economic case for bus rapid transit than Winnipeg. We are home to New Flyer Industries, North America’s leading transit bus manufacturer. Investing in BRT keeps capital circulating locally, supports advanced manufacturing jobs and showcases Winnipeg-built zero-emission buses, powered by clean Manitoba electricity. Current transit safety and service problems must be fixed. But Winnipeg also needs leaders who will refuse to let the city’s rapid transit network fall even further behind the cities across Canada we compete with. This election, voters should ask every candidate a simple question: Will you make funding and building rapid transit a priority or keep Winnipeggers waiting? Ken Klassen is a Winnipeg engineering technologist and consultant specializing in sustainable homes, buildings, communities and energy policy.

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WFP OpEd: Transit, roads and city council’s priorities (Oct2'26)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Oct '26

02 Oct '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Transit, roads and city council’s priorities ERNA BUFFIE https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/10/02/transit-roads… DID any of you happen to notice that the week of Sept. 14 marked an interesting confluence of events in Winnipeg? First up was the mayoral debate on public transit. Second was an announcement that the city would be undertaking a survey to determine whether their citizens’ “transportation needs” are being met. The debate on our public bus system, from which our current Mayor Scott Gillingham was tellingly absent, focused primarily on safety rather than the efficiency of the system. Which, on one level, is no great surprise. After all unlawful incidents on buses and at transit stops have increased by 280 per cent compared to levels recorded around 2016. Moreover, the candidates were primarily speaking to the bus drivers’ union that organized the event, and bus drivers are often the victims of violent episodes. That said, it’s a bit of a puzzle why more time wasn’t spent on a detailed discussion of how the new transit system might be improved, not just to retain regular riders but to attract hundreds, possibly thousands, of new ones. I mean, given the current state of our carbon- addicted culture, getting drivers out of their cars and on to an efficient, and yes, safe public transit system should be the goal, right? So, colour me frustrated when I then discover that city council, in its wisdom, is now doing a survey to improve the world for people who drive cars. At least, that’s how it sounds after reading the statements of councillors such as Janice Lukes and Jeff Browaty in a recent Free Press article ( Road map to future, Sept. 16). Their interest appears to be focused on things such as congested intersections and whether or not the Chief Peguis extension should take precedence over the replacement of the Arlington Bridge. This, when the chief aim of the survey should be to see whether or not the city’s commitment to a mode shift — that is, getting people out of their carbon-belching cars and onto buses, bikes and their feet has been in any way successful. This is information that’s critical to make evidence-based choices on how to reach the goals laid out in the city’s Transit Master Plan and Pedestrian and Cycling Strategy. Because, after all, reducing traffic emissions should be the order of the day, right? Well, maybe not, given that the survey will quiz Winnipeggers on how many cars they have, what routes they drive and what complaints they have about rush-hour traffic jams caused by thousands of cars that are mostly empty, save for the person in the drivers’ seat. This instead of a survey that will tally up the bitter complaints of bus riders, and the concerns of cyclists, who, in some areas, contend with a haphazard network of bike paths squeezed onto the furthest edges of three- to five-lane roads designed for automobiles going 50 to 60 km/h. Bike paths which sometimes abruptly end only to reappear half a block down (in my neck of the woods, anyway) because, heaven forbid the city actually takes up more road space for bikes and pedestrians and a little less for traffic. Better to cut down trees and cut into boulevards than piss off a car and its driver. I can almost see one particular councillor waving the survey results, shouting, “Look! Here’s the evidence! Winnipeg is a car city. Public transit sucks and bike lanes are a pain in the butt, so let’s spend more money on high-speed roads!” OK, OK, maybe I am overstating the case. Maybe I’m unduly cynical about the motivations of a mayor and council who, despite the evidence and significant public opposition, ram through projects such as the widening of Kenaston Boulevard and the Chief Peguis Trail extension. A council that also rolled out a new, more flexible bus system too quickly, without a sufficient number of buses and drivers to ensure efficiency or the designated bus lanes needed to guarantee a speedy ride. A council that has failed to restore the 50-50 cost share deal with the province that would help put more buses on the road, then denigrates a citizens’ coalition that is actually trying to help them improve the system by doing some evidence- based research. Yup, that’s right, there is a Transportation and Land Use Coalition right here in River City, which has teams of people riding public transit to assess what works, what doesn’t and how it can be improved. So, will council engage with that coalition — or even better, consider collaborating with it — to accrue the evidence needed to improve public transit and active transportation? Will they spend the money needed to improve the speed and efficiency of public transit? I don’t know. If I were you, I’d ask them. Erna Buffie is a Winnipeg writer. Check out the TLUC @ https://www. anatomyofapothole.ca/

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WFP: Transit to refund passes, buy electric buses and install full shields for drivers (Sept26'26)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Sep '26

26 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. CITY TO REFUND PASSES FOR FREE PROGRAM USERS WINNIPEG Transit will provide refunds to people who bought student bus passes prior to a program offering youth rides free of charge. The provincially funded Free Youth Transit Pass Pilot program will provide no-cost rides to youths between the ages of 11 and 17 and high school students between the ages of 18 and 21. Schools will distribute the passes this month. Transit will provide refunds to those who already paid for youth fares that were not used. TRANSIT TO BUY ELECTRIC BUSES WINNIPEG Transit will buy more battery electric buses. City council has approved a “one-time exception” from its previous decision to buy only diesel buses from 2027 on, which aimed to save money. Transit will buy up to seven 20-foot-long electric buses for a pilot project to support on-request trips. Each of the smaller electric buses is expected to cost less than a 40-foot diesel bus. PLAN FOR FULL BUS DRIVER SHIELDS EXPECTED SOON THE city will take the first steps to install full driver shields on buses, replacing partial ones. City council approved a plan to earmark $2.7 million toward the design, procurement and initial installation of the shields. It also directed city staff to provide an implementation plan for the entire fleet within 90 days, which would require further funding. A pilot project is expected to add full shields on nine buses first.

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WFP: Teenage e-scooter rider struck by SUV, seriously hurt (Sept17'26)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Sep '26

17 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Teenage e-scooter rider struck by SUV, seriously hurt https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/09/16/teenage-e-scooter… A TEENAGER who was riding an e-scooter suffered life-threatening injuries when he was struck by an SUV in southwest Winnipeg on Monday night. Witnesses provided first aid to the injured rider, who police said is under 18, after the collision happened at Waverley Street and Arbour Meadow Gate/Lake Crest Road at about 9:30 p.m. “It feels like it happened in slow motion,” said driver Audrey Vanderspek, who was waiting at a red light when she witnessed the incident. “Maybe it’s because you’re helpless, that it just feels like everything slows down in the moment.” Police said the electric scooter rider was crossing Waverley and was hit by a southbound 2010 Honda CR-V. The posted speed limit on that stretch of Waverley is 70 kilometres per hour. Exact ages weren’t released, but police said the rider and SUV driver are in their late teens. Police wouldn’t confirm the injured teen’s gender but a witness told the Free Press the rider was a boy. The injured teen remained in hospital Wednesday after being transported in critical condition. The SUV driver stayed at the scene and was interviewed by investigators. City Coun. Janice Lukes, whose Waverley West ward includes the intersection, was saddened to learn about the collision. “It’s horrifying,” she said. Canadian physicians have reported an increase in e-scooter riders being hospitalized for collisions and falls, alongside the growing popularity of the vehicles. The Manitoba government is taking steps to regulate e-scooters by bringing them under the Highway Traffic Act. Vanderspek said she was in southbound Waverley’s left lane, waiting for a turning light to switch from red to green before she could head east on Lake Crest, when she noticed the e-scooter rider. The thoroughfare that crosses Waverley is called Lake Crest Road on the east side (in Waverley Heights) and Arbour Meadow Gate on the west side (in Bridgwater Forest). Vanderspek said the teen, headed south, appeared to be in the “sidewalk area” while he crossed Arbour Meadow Gate. She said he then turned to head east on Lake Crest on the south side of the intersection. “I didn’t even see what the (traffic) lights were doing because I was distracted with him crossing (Waverley),” said Vanderspek, who was with her 14-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. “There was another witness there who said they could confirm the light was green for the (SUV).” Police did not say who had the right of way. Vanderspek said the e-scooter rider, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, was thrown when he was struck by the SUV. She and other witnesses called 911. Her son, who has first aid training, was among those who went to the injured boy’s aid, she said. “There were bystanders there pretty quickly to help as they could.” She said the SUV’s female driver appeared to be shaken while witnesses checked on her. Police asked anyone with information or dashcam or cellphone video of the collision or moments beforehand to call the traffic division at 204-986-7085<tel:204-986-7085> or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477<tel:204-786-8477> (TIPS). Concerns about e-scooter safety have escalated while national figures show hospitalizations for children and adults increased by almost 40 per cent between April 2025 and March 2026. The Canadian Institute for Health Information said 837 hospitalizations were reported, up from 601 in the previous 12 months. Hospitalizations of kids aged 15 and under almost tripled from 54 to 150. A longtime Winnipeg Blue Bombers volunteer suffered serious injuries when he was hit by an e-scooter while directing football fans after a game in July. Earlier this summer, city police published safety guidance that encouraged e-scooter users to ride respectfully, wear a helmet, yield to pedestrians, be alert and share the road. Parents were advised to review safe riding habits with their children. Police issued a reminder Wednesday, saying e-scooters are not toys, while citing a recent Canadian Pediatric Society study that documented 10 deaths and 47 other cases in 2025 involving personal powered micromobility devices. The study said e-scooters were the most frequently implicated device, the most commonly injured group was boys aged 10 to 15, and head injuries were most common. New regulations for e-scooters, passed by the Manitoba government June 1, are not yet in place. Amendments will ban the use of personal electric vehicles on roads where speed limits are greater than 50 km/h, and on sidewalks (unless marked by a traffic control device allowing their use). Drivers must be 16 or older, and must wear a helmet. Speeds will be restricted to a maximum of 25 km/h. Passengers will not be permitted on e-scooters. Last month, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor said an enforcement start date and fine amounts had not yet been set. Manitoba’s new health curriculum in schools will include lessons about dangers associated with electric scooters and electric bikes, the government has said. Lukes, who chairs council’s public works committee, said the city will align bylaws around personal electric vehicles once the province’s amendments come into effect. “It’s very dangerous right now. I see (e-scooters) all over, and kids and no helmets,” she said. “They’re really, really dangerous for young kids, but they’re so wonderful for mobility. It’s such a double-edged sword.” City hall’s process is taking into account Winnipeg’s networks of trails, multi-use paths and cycling lanes that share road space with motor vehicles. Staff are expected to make recommendations to council on how best to regulate personal electric vehicles later this year or early in 2027. “Once something’s on the road it falls under the Highway Traffic Act. We have these shared pathways with shared road space, and this is what they’re having to work through and figure out how they’re going to enforce it, police it, monitor it and what kind of rules they’re going to do,” Lukes said. “It’s complicated how it’s going to work.” Morden’s city council introduced its own rules for personal electric vehicles in June to, among other things, ban them from sidewalks, mandate helmets and require a headlight and rear light or reflector in darkness. Penalties include a $50 fine. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: City turns key on mapping transport needs (Sept17'26)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Sep '26

17 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City turns key on mapping transport needs Residents to be surveyed about travel habits https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/09/16/road-map-to-future THE city wants to know how Winnipeggers get around. It plans to hire a consultant to conduct a household travel survey next year to provide data deemed critical to planning roads and active transportation routes. “This (will) help … when it comes to prioritizing road renewal investments because our city is growing, travel patterns are changing,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West), council’s public works chairwoman. “A lot has happened in our city in 20 years. And, especially when we’re a city without freeways, I know there’s some major intersections and major corridors that need refinement.” The survey will delve into everything from the number of vehicles owned by residents to where they go and how they get there, providing the city’s first such fine-tuned poll since 2007. It will involve a representative sample of households in Winnipeg and surrounding communities. “It provides critical information for planning the region’s pedestrian, cycling, road and transit infrastructure. It is also the main data source for Winnipeg’s travel demand model,” says the request for proposals. The survey results are expected to break down specific responses by household, including number/demographic details of residents, work/ school locations, trips taken (with time, purpose, origin, destination and mode of travel) and transfer points that note when people switched from one mode of transportation to another. The city has budgeted $800,000 for the contract, which council’s finance chairman said will help guide many future investments. “It’s a good way to find out where Winnipeggers are going, how they’re moving around the city and where the stress points potentially are. Is there particular movements that (show) we need to perhaps further refine the (primary) Transit network with additional services to areas? Is it time to move forward with the Chief Peguis Trail extension or replacement of the Arlington Bridge?” said Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan). He noted the city has grown substantially since 2007, while transportation options have also changed, including the addition of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft. Winnipeg’s 2007 travel survey found 80 per cent of trips were made by car, with 20 per cent completed through Transit or active transportation. A local cycling advocate said active transportation use has increased over the past two decades. “There are more people walking and biking (though) that isn’t distributed uniformly across the city … Some of those further flung areas, we might see some indicators of where barriers are really kind of forcing choices on people,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. Cohoe said the city’s survey will be valuable because it will gather details of all trips people take, not just commutes to and from work. “It’s important, when we’re planning our transportation, to get a sense of where people are coming from and where they’re going to … This counts things like going grocery shopping, picking up the kids, all the little different things we do,” he said. However, he said it may not be clear why each mode of travel was chosen or ruled out. “It’s one thing to see where the people are riding (bikes) but it’s also important to see where they’re not riding and to try to figure out if there is something substantially different (about those areas) … If they don’t have a safe link, they’re not going to travel by bike,” said Cohoe. The company that conducts the survey will collect web and telephone answers. Questions will be asked in the fall of 2027, with a deadline to complete a report on the project in fall 2028. New questions added to the 2007 survey will aim to gauge Winnipeggers’ use of electric-powered vehicles (such as e-bikes), the effect of work-from-home on travel and car-sharing programs. Since the survey is meant to highlight normal travel conditions, it could be delayed or postponed if major storms, labour strikes or other unexpected events occur, the RFP notes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP OpEd: Growing pains? Maybe, but it’s worth it (Sept10'26)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Sep '26

10 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Growing pains? Maybe, but it’s worth it DAN HENDRY https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/09/10/growing-pains… WITH Winnipeg’s free youth transit pass rolling out this month, the city should expect more young people to use the bus. This is not a flaw in the program. It is one of the key benefits. I have spent more than a decade working on youth transit in Kingston, Ont., and more recently with communities across Canada. The lesson I keep coming back to is simple: when young people are given the chance to learn transit — use it and see it as a normal part of life — they become more confident riders. Over time, many become paying riders, too. Even so, operational costs are a valid consideration. Winnipeg Transit runs a real system with real limits. Buses fill up. And if full buses are consistently passing people by, that hurts everyone. The city knows this and is responding accordingly. September’s rollout will be staggered to give Transit a chance to watch where demand appears and then adjust. According to the Winnipeg School Division, older students are expected to receive passes first, with other grades following through September. This is specifically to give the system more room to adapt. What we should avoid is treating every new rider, crowded bus or early growing pain as evidence the idea is failing. And it’s important to remember that eligible youth are not the same thing as brand-new riders. Winnipeg Transit estimates roughly 65,000 youth are eligible for the program and initially planned around 30,000 passes. The city’s report notes that roughly 15,000 youth already purchase passes. For those riders, the person on the bus is not new; it’s just who’s paying for the trip that’s changing. Young people will also use transit differently. Not everyone travels downtown at 8 a.m. Some trips happen after school, in the evening or on weekends. Some students will ride every day. Others will use the pass occasionally. The important thing is to measure what happens instead of assuming the worst before the program starts. Winnipeg is already planning additional peak-period service and more trips on feeder routes serving high schools. This is the right approach: implement, collect data, identify pressure points and adjust. And let’s not forget the longer-term payoff for the whole community. Kingston started providing high school students with free transit access in 2012, adding grades over time. Research on the program found Grade 12 students used transit about three times as often as Grade 9 students. That makes intuitive sense. As teenagers gain independence, get jobs, volunteer and travel farther from home, their transportation needs grow. Because they already know the system, transit is an option they understand. The more interesting number comes later. Kingston’s annual after-high-school youth monthly-pass sales increased from 5,740 in 2018 to 11,934 in 2025. That is an increase of approximately 108 per cent. Youth transit cannot be judged only as a short-term fare policy. It is also rider development. A teenager who learns to use transit becomes a young adult who understands the benefit of transit. That person may one day buy a pass, advocate for better routes or vote for transit investment. There are immediate benefits for the community, too. Every independent trip can connect a young person to public investments we have already made — schools, recreation centres, libraries, parks, employment programs, cultural facilities and community services — along with providing them access to local businesses as patrons and employees. It can also give a parent back the time they would otherwise spend driving. None of this means Winnipeg should ignore capacity. Quite the opposite. The ultimate success of this program will require listening to operators and planners, watching for overcrowding, funding the service required and changing course if the evidence says to. It will also involve recognizing that a successful transit system is supposed to attract riders. There will probably be bumps this fall. Winnipeg is introducing a significant program into a large system during one of its busiest periods. Let’s give it room to work. Measure it carefully. Fix problems quickly. And keep the longer view in sight. If more young Winnipeggers learn that the bus can take them to school, work, recreation and the rest of their community, that is not a transit problem. That is how you build the next generation of transit riders. Dan Hendry is project director of Get on the Bus, a national youth transit initiative through Small Change Fund, and helped develop Kingston’s youth transit program.

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WFP: Bumps in the road as students collect free bus passes (Sept9'26)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Sep '26

09 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Bumps in the road as students collect free bus passes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/09/08/bumps-in-the-road… ALEXIS Enns left her guidance counsellor’s office empty-handed, but no less excited about starting Grade 12 — even though she still didn’t know how she would get there or her timetable — on Tuesday. “My summer was pretty boring,” the 17-year-old said after an unsuccessful trip to get her free bus pass and bearings at Technical Vocational High School. “I like back-to-school. I like having somewhere to be every day and something to do every day.” For some families in the Winnipeg School Division, hers included, the 2026-27 academic year kicked off with delays related to the rollout of free youth transit and course schedules. At the same time, along with typical preparations for classes beginning Wednesday and later this week, employees were busy cleaning up leaks and backed-up sewage in buildings affected by a long weekend storm. Alexis said the start of every term is disorganized because students are adjusting their schedules, but this one is proving to be particularly chaotic in spite of her efforts to prepare for it. City school boards announced last week that, immediately after Labour Day, they were launching a new pilot to distribute Winnipeg Transit passes to students aged 12 and up. Grade 11 and 12 students are supposed to be the first in line. Alexis was told on Tuesday that she’d have to wait a little longer for her school to distribute passes and find out where welding is slotted in her schedule. The release of timetables has been delayed in some buildings as administrators in her division, the largest in the province, transition to a new student information management system. It’s meant that students receive hard copies on the first day of class rather than online versions in advance. “That’s a minor inconvenience and something that we take to heart,” chief superintendent Matt Henderson said about the disruptions to transit and timetables. There’s bound to be bumps in rolling out any complex pilot, Henderson said, adding he’s heard tons of positive feedback about schools partnering with the city and province to bus students to school, work and extracurriculars for free this year. There have been some glitches related to the software transition from Mayet to PowerSchool, but he said moving away from an “antiquated system” will ultimately benefit all community members. “There’s some real momentum going into this year,” the superintendent said. Sandra Herbst, superintendent of the River East Transcona School Division, echoed his optimism about the free transit pilot and its impact on attendance this year. “A small act like this can, in fact, be life-changing for a family and that’s the beauty of the public education system,” said Herbst, who oversees the second largest school division in Manitoba. She said the initiative is another tool to bolster student engagement, in addition to the walking school buses and nutrition programs. Principals have historically used discretionary funds to buy and distribute a limited number of bus tickets to students in need of financial support. Alexis said her middle school gave out free tickets, but since entering Tec Voc, she’s often found herself short on change and relied on bus drivers to cut her some slack. “It is really stressful, standing at the bus stop and thinking, ‘Is this bus driver going to let me on?’” the Grade 12 student said. “Especially in the winter time and it’s -40 C or in the peak of summer and it’s 40 C — it’s not fun to stand out in the cold or stand out in the heat.” James Van Gerwen, president of the union for Winnipeg Transit operators, praised the rollout of free youth passes but he said passengers of all ages should prepare for delays as everyone adjusts to increased ridership. “I would like all the students to actually have their passes ready to show (before they board). That makes the process a lot smoother and it’ll help get the buses out quicker,” the leader of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 said. A provincial spokesperson said in a statement that “the full rollout” of Grade 11 and 12 passes is taking place throughout the first week of school. The second phase, which targets Grade 9 and 10 students, is scheduled to begin during the second-last week of September. Middle years students who are 12 and older are anticipated to be eligible during the final week of the month. Manitoba has budgeted approximately $10 million to support the rollout of free public transit for students in major urban centres. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca>

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