Alberta rolls out golf carts on municipal roads

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

Southern Alberta Newspapers

Alberta’s government is working with the Town of Coaldale and other interested municipalities across the province to pilot the use of golf carts on select municipal roads.

Alberta municipalities have unique transportation needs shaped by their geography and community preferences. Granting municipalities the flexibility to adopt various transportation modes helps reduce congestion and improves the quality of life for residents.

Accordingly, Alberta’s government is working with the Town of Coaldale to pilot the limited use of golf carts in their community, enhancing the mobility of Albertans and increasing recreational options. Other interested communities throughout the province are invited to submit bylaw proposals to Transportation and Economic Corridors for similar pilot projects.

“Transportation does not stand still, and Alberta must be ready with forward-thinking ideas on how to test new transportation-related solutions or activities. Off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and e-bikes have been popular with Albertans for years, and pilot projects like this one hold the key to unlocking new modes of transportation for everyone,” said Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.

The announcement was made on Oct. 24 during a press event at Coaldale’s Land-O-Lakes Golf and Country Club.

“This is a common sense approach to dealing with the use of golf carts in our communities. Many jurisdictions have been allowing golf carts to travel on roads without any concerns,” said Grant Hunter, MLA for Taber-Warner.

Coaldale is one of the first towns to pilot the limited use of golf carts, after the legislature passed legislation that makes innovative projects like this possible, and the town’s pilot will last five years.

Pilot projects like this allow new and innovative uses of existing or new modes of transportation and expands on municipalities already having the ability to allow registered off-highway vehicles to operate on their roads.

“We think it’s great that Alberta Municipalities’ advocacy on golf carts has paid off. Many communities have been asking for this for a few years and I’m happy that Coaldale is able to pilot this initiative for the province,” said Tina Jones, director of towns, Alberta Municipalities.

These pilot projects will provide real-life evidence that will help the province evaluate and understand any safety implications and inform future policy decisions on the use of alternative modes of transportation on municipal roads.

“The creation of this pilot project comes as welcome news to the Town of Coaldale. Thanks to Alberta’s government our Council will be able to pass a golf cart bylaw that gives residents living near our local golf course the ability to drive their carts to and from the course. It’s a win for everyone involved – Coaldale residents, municipal enforcement officers, our local golf course, Coaldale Town Council and the Government of Alberta,” said Jack Van Rijn, Mayor of Coaldale.

Six other communities, including the County of Lacombe, the Village of Linden, the Summer Village of Whispering Hills, the Town of Delburne, the Village of Acme and Half Moon Bay have applied for and been approved to use golf carts in their communities.

“Just over two years ago, our Council found itself in the position of having to rescind the Town’s longstanding golf cart bylaw because it was in non-compliance with Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act,” continued Van Rijn. “Thanks in large part to MLA Hunter and Minister Dreeshen, however, we’ll now be able to pass a new golf cart bylaw that once again gives residents living near our local golf course the ability to drive their carts to and from the course – without having to fear being ticketed by local law enforcement.”

• Alberta recently expanded the use of off-highway-vehicles (OHVs) on Highway 734 from approximately one kilometre south of the Red Deer River north to the intersection of Highway 734 with Highway 11 near Nordegg (approximately 180 kilometres).

• As of March 31, 2023, there were 104,025 registered OHVs in Alberta.

• Three Canadian jurisdictions already have provisions within their legislation that address golf cart use on select municipal roads (British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan).

To participate in the pilot project, municipalities must first draft a bylaw that: 

1. designates specific roads where golf carts can be operated; 

2. includes provisions specified by the province’s Registrar of Motor Vehicle Services (Registrar); and 

3. establishes a permit system for golf cart operators. 

Once drafted, the bylaw must be submitted to the Registrar for approval, along with documentation explaining why the designated roads were chosen and supporting data on traffic, collision statistics, and the nature of the traffic on those roads. The Registrar will then review the bylaw and its supporting documentation. Approval will depend on whether the bylaw complies with regulations, whether the information is satisfactory, and if it is deemed in the public interest. 

To learn more about the province’s new golf cart pilot project, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/golf-carts-on-public-roads.