Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[DSC]

Are we all confused yet? See: https://www.toronto.ca/services-pay...in Ontario must,motor not exceeding 500 watts

Types of E-bikes​

pedelec & pedal-assisted cargo E-bikes
Pedal-assisted (“pedelecs”) are e-bikes requiring pedaling for propulsion (i.e., the power is cut to the motor when the rider stops pedaling). These are treated like bicycles in the Toronto Municipal Code if they weigh less than 40kg and require pedaling for propulsion, and may be used on roads and all types of cycling infrastructure: painted bicycle lanes, cycle tracks (separated bike lanes) and multi-use trails and paths.
Pedal-assisted cargo cycles are legal for use in Toronto on roads, painted bike lanes and cycle tracks.

Power-assisted (throttle only)
Power-assisted are E-bikes that are capable of being propelled solely by its electric motor (throttle only). Power-assisted E-bikes may be bicycle-style, scooter-style or moped-style and regardless of style of appearance, they do not require any muscular power or pedaling for propulsion.
Power-assisted E-bikes are not allowed on cycle tracks (separated bike lanes) or multi-use trails or paths, because they pose safety risks when mixing with slower, human-powered modes like bicycles. It is also difficult and risky for such E-bikes to exit cycle tracks which can have raised curbs or vertical elements (e.g., posts, planters, etc.) when passing slower cyclists, whereas painted bike lanes do not present such issues.
For more information, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s page on E-bikes .
Toronto City Council adopted 2014 Decision on electric bikes. In a 2014 report adopted by Toronto City Council, power-assisted bicycles are considered similar to scooters and mopeds, and called “E-scooters” (not to be confused with standing electric kick-scooters which are also called E-scooters).

Where you can ride an E-bike in Toronto​

	Roadway (vehicle lanes)	Bicycle Lane (painted only)	Cycle Track (separated, eg. curbs, planters, etc)	Multi-use Trails and Paths (includes pedestrians, joggers, etc)	Sidewalks
Bicycle	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
E-bike requiring pedaling (“pedelecs” under 40 kg)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
E-bike requiring pedaling (“pedelecs” over 40 kg)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Power-assisted E-bike (max. 120 kg, max. speed 32 km/hr)	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Motorcycles, Mopeds, Motor Scooters	Yes	No	No	No	No

Multi-use trails, paths and parks​

Motorized vehicles (including power-assisted E-bikes) may not be used on park multi-use paths. If a motorized vehicle is used on a park path, the rider/driver may be fined $305.00 by bylaw enforcement officers. The Waterfront Multi-use path, Don Valley and Humber Multi-use paths, are all considered parklands. The West Toronto Railpath and Hydro corridor trails are considered linear parks.

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Toronto Ferries​

Only bicycles or pedal-assisted bicycles (pedelecs only) with a wheel diameter of 26″ or larger are allowed on the ferries to the Toronto Islands.

 

[W. K. Lis]

What about cargo bikes or...

The Car-Replacement Bicycle (the bakfiets)?​

The auto-addicted will complain that few (even the kids) are wearing helmets when riding.

 

[zang]

Are we all confused yet? See: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/cycling-in-toronto/cycling-and-the-law/electric-bicycles-e-bikes-e-scooters/#:~:text=E-bikes in Ontario must,motor not exceeding 500 watts

Types of E-bikes​

We seriously need someone to step up and correct this whole e-bike/e-scooter BS.

The laws are in need of a big overhaul. Regardless of the size/speed, the riders of Toronto somehow has it in their head that anything electric can be ridden on a sidewalk. Especially if it's sold as an "e-bike".

These machines can weigh as much as 275lbs (sans rider). For reference, a gasoline-powered Vespa Piaggio is 250lbs. Put a rider on there, and you can (and do) severely injure anyone who gets hit.
They must max out at 32km/h, but are often held back only by a trivially-removable electronic or physical governer.
They must have functional pedals. And so, manufacturers like Emma simply put vestigial pedals on whoppingly large beasts.
They require no insurance, plate or license to operate.
They are encouraged as a preferred vehicle by delivery companies like Fanutan, Skip the Dishes, etc.

THIS is considered an "e-bike":

Motorcycle E-Bikes I Electric Motor Bike I Emmo Canada

Long Range Electric Motorcycle Ebike. 200+ km Per Charge. No License, No Insurance required. High Performance. Our motorcycle e-bikes are the best in the business. Order Online or visit any of our 100+ Emmo dealers across Canada.

emmo.ca

It's an effing full-sized electric motorcycle, with some removable, pretty much useless pedals at the back.

I have been scraped and nearly hit or I do not know how many seated electric scooters, on the sidewalk. Apparently, it's common practice for delivery people to bypass street traffic or one way streets by simply using the sidewalk. Hell, half the time on Bloor, where there are proper bike lanes, they don't even bother to use those.

I get riding a short distance on a sidewalk to park, but I have watched riders traverse complete blocks on the sidewalk because it's easier for them.

A Vespa Piaggio requires a license to operate, a license plate and insurance. An Emmo Ado (a knockoff of the Piaggio) does not.

Tell me, will they bother to make a distinction *before* gasoline powered vehicles are completely phased out?

Take the speed restrictions off the seated scooters, don't allow them to have vestigial pedals, and let them ride on the road like a vespa. Ban them from sidewalks and bike lanes.

Allow electric-assist bikes to use bike lanes or roads, like normal bikes.

Allow kick-scooters to use bike lanes, or if none are available, sidewalks at slower speeds.

It's not that hard. We're the only province who seems to be balking at doing anything about these things.

 

[W. K. Lis]

We seriously need someone to step up and correct this whole e-bike/e-scooter BS.

The laws are in need of a big overhaul. Regardless of the size/speed, the riders of Toronto somehow has it in their head that anything electric can be ridden on a sidewalk. Especially if it's sold as an "e-bike".

These machines can weigh as much as 275lbs (sans rider). For reference, a gasoline-powered Vespa Piaggio is 250lbs. Put a rider on there, and you can (and do) severely injure anyone who gets hit.
They must max out at 32km/h, but are often held back only by a trivially-removable electronic or physical governer.
They must have functional pedals. And so, manufacturers like Emma simply put vestigial pedals on whoppingly large beasts.
They require no insurance, plate or license to operate.
They are encouraged as a preferred vehicle by delivery companies like Fanutan, Skip the Dishes, etc.

THIS is considered an "e-bike":

Motorcycle E-Bikes I Electric Motor Bike I Emmo Canada

Long Range Electric Motorcycle Ebike. 200+ km Per Charge. No License, No Insurance required. High Performance. Our motorcycle e-bikes are the best in the business. Order Online or visit any of our 100+ Emmo dealers across Canada.

emmo.ca

It's an effing full-sized electric motorcycle, with some removable, pretty much useless pedals at the back.

I have been scraped and nearly hit or I do not know how many seated electric scooters, on the sidewalk. Apparently, it's common practice for delivery people to bypass street traffic or one way streets by simply using the sidewalk. Hell, half the time on Bloor, where there are proper bike lanes, they don't even bother to use those.

I get riding a short distance on a sidewalk to park, but I have watched riders traverse complete blocks on the sidewalk because it's easier for them.

A Vespa Piaggio requires a license to operate, a license plate and insurance. An Emmo Ado (a knockoff of the Piaggio) does not.

Tell me, will they bother to make a distinction *before* gasoline powered vehicles are completely phased out?

Take the speed restrictions off the seated scooters, don't allow them to have vestigial pedals, and let them ride on the road like a vespa. Ban them from sidewalks and bike lanes.

Allow electric-assist bikes to use bike lanes or roads, like normal bikes.

Allow kick-scooters to use bike lanes, or if none are available, sidewalks at slower speeds.

It's not that hard. We're the only province who seems to be balking at doing anything about these things.

Use what the Europeans, especially Netherlands, do with e-bikes.

 

[Admiral Beez]

If a motorized vehicle is used on a park path, the rider/driver may be fined $305.00 by bylaw enforcement officers.

AFAICT there are no bylaw enforcements officers in Toronto anymore. Once we began ignoring the basic bylaws expected of any city that cares about its appearance and civic behaviour, including: #608-13 Camping in Parks; #743-9 Fouling and obstruction; 548-2 Littering; and, 485-7 Failure to remove graffiti, I pretty much stopped caring about any bylaws. Concerning 349-12 Leashing and walking dogs? If the bylaw enforcement officers through their absence across the city don't care about bylaws, then I don't care, and I let me dog run everywhere, using common sense to keep the little guy away from others in the park. I notice most of my once law abiding neighbours are doing the same, taking on a IDGAC approach and letting the dogs walk unleashed down the sidewalk, through the park. My neighbours and developers nearby have the same opinion on 591-2 Construction noise, ignoring restrictions on home/yard renovations and condo development in the evenings and Sundays. Half of the homes in my neighbourhood have installed illegal front pad parking, others cut down mature trees without permits, both violations of bylaws.

As for the bikepaths? No one cares about the bylaws about bikepaths and bicycle use overall, especially the bylaw enforcement officers. There are plenty of cycling bylaws, but the city doesn't care.

Cycling & the Law

The Highway Traffic Act highlights the rules for people cycling and driving to travel safely and predictably on streets within the province: The Ontario Court of Justice – Schedule 43 lists fines for non-compliance to the Highway Traffic Act. The City of Toronto has by-laws that regulate the...

www.toronto.ca

Notice it's bored TPS officers that are ticketing cyclists in High Park, not bylaw officers. Yes, speeding on the road is a police matter, but you can watch cyclists violating bylaws in High Park and no one cares. It doesn't help that many of the folks I see on the scooter-like e-bikes appear to be addicts or insane, right out of madmax, I'd let them go too. So, if the city doesn't care about bylaws, neither do I.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Meanwhile, in New York City...

 

[picard102]

Good to see they are hiding their trash a bit better. Last time I was there the place seemed closer to a garbage dump than a city.

 

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Some of us may want to complete this City survey on CafeTO

CaféTO – Outdoor Dining

The CaféTO Program provides restaurants and bars in Toronto with the opportunity to access public space and expand their outdoor dining space through sidewalk cafés, curb lane cafés or patios on private property. Learn more about the permit, registration and zoning bylaws for the three café...

www.toronto.ca

 

[Northern Light]

Some of us may want to complete this City survey on CafeTO

CaféTO – Outdoor Dining

The CaféTO Program provides restaurants and bars in Toronto with the opportunity to access public space and expand their outdoor dining space through sidewalk cafés, curb lane cafés or patios on private property. Learn more about the permit, registration and zoning bylaws for the three café...

www.toronto.ca

Done!

I expressed a preference for spaces level with the curb/sidewalk to reduce trip hazards and improve accessibility, along with creating a greater illusion of safety next to cars.

I otherwise endorsed the program.

But in added comments noted that on a block by block basis where the program has achieved its highest success that permanent sidewalk extensions should be considered in lieu of parking.

 

[Jonny5]

This draft research paper on persistent commercial storefront vacancies in New York City is interesting and I wonder if there's a similar situation in Toronto:

Abstract: Why do retail vacancies persist for more than a year in some of the world’s highest-rent retail districts? To explain why retail vacancies last so long (16 months on average), we construct and estimate a dynamic, two-sided model of storefront leasing in New York City. The model incorporates key features of the commercial real estate industry: tenant heterogeneity, long lease lengths, high move-in costs, search frictions, and aggregate uncertainty in downstream retail demand. Consistent with the market norm in New York City, we assume that landlords cannot evict tenants unilaterally before lease expiration. However, tenants can exit leases early at a low cost, and often do: nearly 55% of tenants with ten-year leases exit within five years.

It goes on to note that high move-in costs for tenants are also a barrier which would significantly reduce vacancies. The move-in costs are linked to build out expenses which are significantly higher in some areas where consumer expectations of appearance matter significantly, but also costs to relocate and/or acquire and install specialty equipment (it specifically notes this for restaurants). My first thought here was King Street East, mostly because I live close by and see how puzzlingly empty it is, but there's other areas in the City too with the same long term vacancies, like The Beaches.

 

[zang]

This draft research paper on persistent commercial storefront vacancies in New York City is interesting and I wonder if there's a similar situation in Toronto:

It goes on to note that high move-in costs for tenants are also a barrier which would significantly reduce vacancies. The move-in costs are linked to build out expenses which are significantly higher in some areas where consumer expectations of appearance matter significantly, but also costs to relocate and/or acquire and install specialty equipment (it specifically notes this for restaurants). My first thought here was King Street East, mostly because I live close by and see how puzzlingly empty it is, but there's other areas in the City too with the same long term vacancies, like The Beaches.

Despite all the hype around Yonge & Bloor and Yorkville, there are a tonne of long-term vacancies there, too. 1 Bloor East, many in both the HBC and Holt Renfrew concourses and all along Bloor, including prominent ones like 100 Bloor St W. The current market means they can sit empty and overpriced because the land can be sold off for a killing at any opportunity.

 

[Northern Light]

I don't think we have an overall thread for ModernTO (the program to consolidate and modernize City office space with an eye to freeing up land/buildings for redevelopment), as such, I'll park this here for now.

In a report to next week's meeting of CreateTO, its clear that at least one site (or sites) are set to move forward, with a deal having been negotiated with a proponent. Currently, all terms, including the addresses involved and the proponent are confidential.

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/ra/bgrd/backgroundfile-229905.pdf

 

[DSC]

I was looking at the City Directory today ( https://www.toronto.ca/city-governm...aff-directory-divisions-and-customer-service/ ) It was 'interesting' to see how many fax machine numbers were still listed. Does anyone still use fax - even the provincial government is phasing them out. This despite this 2021 motion

City Council consideration on May 5, 2021

MM32.23

ACTION​

Adopted​

​

Ward: All​

The Last Time Internet Regulations Were Passed, People Said, “Fax It To Me” - by Councillor Paul Ainslie, seconded by Councillor Stephen Holyday​

1. City Council direct the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Technology Officer, to draft a plan by the end of 2021 to phase out traditional telephone fax lines for City Divisions.

​

​

I have emailed the acting City manager and copied the two Councillors, we will see - or not!

 

[W. K. Lis]

was looking at the City Directory today ( https://www.toronto.ca/city-governm...aff-directory-divisions-and-customer-service/ ) It was 'interesting' to see how many fax machine numbers were still listed. Does anyone still use fax - even the provincial government is phasing them out. This despite this 2021 motion

City Council consideration on May 5, 2021

MM32.23

ACTION​

Adopted​

​

Ward: All​

The Last Time Internet Regulations Were Passed, People Said, “Fax It To Me” - by Councillor Paul Ainslie, seconded by Councillor Stephen Holyday​

1. City Council direct the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Technology Officer, to draft a plan by the end of 2021 to phase out traditional telephone fax lines for City Divisions.

​

​

I have emailed the acting City manager and copied the two Councillors, we will see - or not!

Hardcopy will be sent by pneumatic tube...

 

[Richard White]

was looking at the City Directory today ( https://www.toronto.ca/city-governm...aff-directory-divisions-and-customer-service/ ) It was 'interesting' to see how many fax machine numbers were still listed. Does anyone still use fax - even the provincial government is phasing them out. This despite this 2021 motion

City Council consideration on May 5, 2021

MM32.23

ACTION​

Adopted​

​

Ward: All​

The Last Time Internet Regulations Were Passed, People Said, “Fax It To Me” - by Councillor Paul Ainslie, seconded by Councillor Stephen Holyday​

1. City Council direct the City Manager, in consultation with the Chief Technology Officer, to draft a plan by the end of 2021 to phase out traditional telephone fax lines for City Divisions.

​

​

I have emailed the acting City manager and copied the two Councillors, we will see - or not!

I actually had someone ask if they could fax me some documents earlier this year. I was surprised as hell.