Golf carts could soon be legal on municipal streets in Sask. (submitted photo/SGI)

By Susan McNeil

On the road again...

Street legal: golf carts get green light for public roads

May 15, 2023 | 1:00 PM

Golf carts will soon be street legal in Saskatchewan and that’s good news for Candle Lake Mayor Terry Kostyna.

The resort village has been hopeful the province would make changes allowing people to operate golf carts on public roads with the change made public this morning.

“At this morning’s committee of the whole our draft bylaw was on the table,” Kostyna said.

That doesn’t mean the village is hurrying too quickly as they have been advocating and preparing for any possible loosening of the provincial regulations for some time.

Previously, municipalities could choose to allow golf carts to be used on streets but were restricted to only having them go to and from a golf course in the most direct route.

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Now, they can be allowed more general use – if there is a bylaw in place – but are still banned from highways except to cross them.

Bylaws must identify the roads where they are allowed and the town or village is required to report any fatalities or injuries.

As was the case before, they are not allowed on any road or street with a speed limit over 50 km/h.

In Candle Lake’s, they discussed a draft bylaw Friday morning which will go to the next regular meeting of council on Thursday.

Kostyna said it will need some modification to make sure it complies with all provincial regulations, including the new ones.

“Our bylaw is already drafted. It’s ready to go,” he said.

He said for their community, allowing golf carts means more residents have greater access and mobility.

“It’s important to a few people and we’ve heard that, and we’ve heard that if we do something like this we have to do it responsibly,” he said.

Their bylaw will be more stringent than provincial regulations and will require all golf carts to have easily visible and trackable identification, similar to what they use now for ATVs.

Tyler McMurchy, a spokesman for SGI, said that the change was a response to a recent SUMA resolution asking for the change.

“Municipalities can work on their bylaws and submit them to SGI,” he said. SGI must approve all bylaws.

SGI will monitor and be informed of any collisions that occur and if there were any injuries or fatalities.

This is in addition to the rules that were already in place and remain in effect:

• The driver of the golf cart must be the holder of a valid Class 7 (Learner) or higher driver’s licence.

• The owner is required to carry a minimum of $200,000 in liability insurance for damages caused by the golf cart and provide proof of insurance at the request of a peace officer.

• Golf carts must be equipped as defined in The Registration Exemption and Reciprocity Regulations (at least three wheels, weight limit of 590 kilograms, not counting riders and clubs).

• Golf carts cannot operate on any roadway with a posted speed over 50 km/h.

• Golf carts will be required to display a slow-moving vehicle sign (already required by legislation for vehicles travelling less than 40 km/h on the roadway).

• Golf carts can only be operated during daylight hours (half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset) on roadways.

• Golf carts cannot be capable of operating at a speed of more than 24 km/h on level ground.

And a driver can be charged if they are caught driving impaired by drugs or alcohol.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com