Town of Osoyoos council has voted in favour of moving forward with a program that will allow slow-speed, electric vehicles on streets and most highways in and around the tourist community.

Chief Administrative Officer Rod Risling made a presentation to council about potentially introducing slow-moving electric vehicles within the community.

Looking into allowing slow-moving vehicles to operate on the streets of Osoyoos was part of long-term strategic planning, said Risling.

“First of all, the provincial government does provide to permit use of these vehicles,” said Risling. “That authority rests with municipalities, so if the municipality passes a bylaw to authorize the use of these vehicles ... that option is open to council.”

From a legal perspective, these vehicles are treated similar to a car or SUV or truck.

“They must obtain a license plate and they must obtain insurance,” he said. “It’s important to know the requirements for these vehicles are actually done federally, so there’s things like signal lights, brake lights, that type of thing. There are standard things on a car that are also on these vehicles and that’s not monitored by us. That’s monitored by a higher level of government.”

Any road infractions by drivers of these vehicles would be administered by the RCMP just like any other motor vehicle, he said.

If drivers don’t comply with rules and regulations, tickets would be issued, he said.

Under provincial regulations, these low-speed vehicles would be allowed to travel on all local highways with a posted speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour or less, said Risling.

“They can cross highways that have a speed limit of up to 80 kilometres an hour,” he said.

“This basically means, most roads in the Town of Osoyoos, they can drive on. There are a couple of areas on Highway 3 and Highway 97 that the speed is higher than 50 kilometres an hour and in those areas, these vehicles would not be permitted. However, they could cross the road or the highway.”

The City of Vernon has allowed these slow-moving electric vehicles within city limits for more than a decade.

“They’ve indicated there have been very minimal complaints,” said Risling. “The only complaint that they do receive sporadically, is that sometimes these vehicles are driving a little too slow.”

From a positive perspective, these vehicles provide a method of low-cost transportation within the community, he said.

The variety of these vehicles “come in different sizes and shapes” and he’s personally seen a few in town already, said Risling.

Council does have the authority to limit the places in town these vehicles would be allowed to travel, so if they wanted to limit it to the downtown core or other sections of town, they do have that ability, he said.

“It’s not something we’re recommending, but it is something council can do,” he said.

If council agrees in moving forward with this initiative, a bylaw amendment would have to be approved to allow these slow-moving vehicles to be licensed for use in the Town of Osoyoos, said Risling.

The bylaw would then need to go to the Ministry of Transportation for their approval, he said.

“We know that that takes several months and they could amend, deny or do whatever they would like with what’s proposed,” he said. “That’s basically the next steps.”

Administration doesn’t see any real negative issues with allowing these vehicles in Osoyoos and that’s why they are recommending council’s approval, he said.

Mayor Sue McKortoff said she wanted to ensure local residents that the vehicles being discussed for approval “are not golf carts.”

Coun. Johnny Cheong said he has met people who own these smaller, slow-moving electric vehicles and they all have features like turn signals, a horn, front and back lights and seatbelts and they can reach speeds of a maximum of 32 to 40 kilometres an hour.

There is a special class of vehicle registration by ICBC in relation to these vehicles, he said.

“They’re pretty safe,” he said.

Cheong said he’s “95 per cent sure” the low-speed vehicles would be allowed on the golf course at Osoyoos Golf and Country Club.

There might be amendments to golf club regulations relating to the usage of some of these vehicles on the two 18-hole courses at Osoyoos Golf Club, he said.

Coun. Jim King said he supports the staff recommendation to allow these vehicles on most streets in Osoyoos.

“I think it’s a great idea personally,” he said. “To allow it for the whole town I think makes sense.”

Cheong asked if there was any consideration by staff to consider a “pilot project” over one year to see how it works out before moving full steam ahead.

“There may be a need for additional signage,” he said.

Risling said organizing a pilot project would be difficult as it could take up to six months for the provincial ministry to approve the town’s proposed bylaw.

As well, it is senior levels of government who mandate the rules and regulations pertaining to licensing and operation of these vehicles, he said.

Cheong said a “mandatory review would be wise” if it’s determined allowing these vehicles on town streets was causing too many problems. That review would allow council to rescind the bylaw, he said.

McKortoff wondered if the town would be responsible for providing charging stations for these vehicles if the bylaw is approved.

Risling said the town or council wouldn’t have any responsibility to provide those stations as the vehicles owners would be fully responsible just like owning any other kind of vehicle.

Council voted unanimously in favour of the staff recommendation to allow low-speed vehicles in the town and request the Ministry of Transportation and Transit to approve the changes.

— This article was originally published by the Penticton Herald.

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