For Mayor of Toronto · 2026
Ordinary ownership remains ordinary
Do not create a licence for a resident using a personal e-bike, e-scooter or mobility device responsibly.
The clear public commitment
Prevent fires without punishing ordinary ownership.
SafeCharge focuses attention and enforcement where the risk is greatest while making the safe choice practical.
Focus on higher-risk conduct
Address damaged or modified batteries, unsafe charging, blocked exits, repeated high-volume storage and commercial repair or rebuilding activity.
Safe alternatives before penalties
Provide education, safe disposal, voluntary inspections, charging lockers and worker-friendly alternatives before relying on routine penalties.
Strong action for real hazards
Focus enforcement on unsafe commercial operations, repeat violators and imminent dangers—not honest residents correcting a problem.
Why this turns Megacity into Gigacity: Toronto matches prevention, infrastructure and enforcement to the actual risk instead of applying one blunt rule to everyone.
Prevention first
Most incidents can be reduced through safer equipment, storage and awareness.
People are more likely to follow safety rules when they understand the risk and have a workable alternative.
Certified batteries and chargers
Encourage equipment that meets recognized safety standards and discourage unsafe combinations, modifications and improvised repairs.
Safe charging practices
Keep charging away from beds, exits and combustible materials, stop using damaged equipment and follow manufacturer instructions.
Proper storage
Reduce heat, impact, water and obstruction risks while keeping hallways, stairs and escape routes clear.
Early detection
Help residents recognize swelling, damage, overheating, odour, unusual noise and other warning signs before failure.
Education and awareness
Provide multilingual, accessible information for residents, workers, building staff, property owners and emergency responders.
Safe disposal
Create a clear, no-penalty route for damaged or unsafe batteries so people do not keep or hide dangerous equipment.
Safer charging infrastructure
Give residents and workers practical options.
Battery-only charging lockersIndividual access controls, automatic shutoff, temperature monitoring, fault detection, secure construction and user notifications where technically appropriate.
Battery-swapping hubsDesignated locations that reduce residential charging, shorten turnaround for high-use riders and reduce the need for multiple spare batteries.
Dedicated charging roomsFor larger facilities, purpose-designed rooms can combine fire protection, ventilation, access controls, electrical monitoring and emergency procedures.
Safe collection and exchangeDamaged-battery surrender and certified replacement support can remove hazards without destabilizing workers’ livelihoods.
The best solution lets people keep control of their bicycles while making battery charging safer.
Why this turns Megacity into Gigacity: the city changes the conditions creating risk instead of waiting to punish people after something goes wrong.
Supporting people
Safety must work for residents and workers.
A plan fails if it creates incentives to hide damaged batteries, makes mobility unaffordable or exposes bicycles to theft.
Support residents
Public education, low-cost inspections, accessibility accommodations, multilingual information and support for residents with limited ability to pay.
Support workers
Charging alternatives near employment areas, replacement programs, safety training and infrastructure that protects both batteries and bicycles.
Protect privacy and fairness
Use information collected for safety only, keep first inspections supportive and reserve strong action for imminent hazards or commercial misconduct.
Work with other governments
Advocate for stronger product certification, import, consumer-protection and market standards beyond municipal authority.
Continuous improvement
Measure what works and adjust openly.
SafeCharge should be reviewed using fire incident data, infrastructure use, resident and worker feedback, building performance and changing technology standards.
Prevent
Reduce unsafe charging and remove damaged batteries before a fire starts.
Support
Make safer behaviour practical for households, workers and building operators.
Learn
Publish results, correct failures and expand only the solutions that improve safety in real life.
The objective is simple: safer buildings, safer transportation and practical solutions that support the people who rely on micromobility every day.
Public evidence
Use verified evidence and update the plan as conditions change.
Toronto Fire Services and other cities have documented growing lithium-ion battery risks and tested safer charging approaches. Final program design should be developed with fire experts, residents, delivery workers, accessibility advocates, building operators, insurers, utilities and other governments.
Build the campaign
Help build safer mobility without punishing the people who rely on it.
A serious citywide campaign needs people, resources and neighbourhood support to reach voters across Toronto.
Show support where you live and help build visible momentum.
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