Fore! Municipalities free to allow golf carts on roads in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan municipalities can now decide if they want to allow golf carts on their roads.

Previously, golf carts were only allowed on municipal roads while driving directly to or from a golf course, and required a local bylaw to be in place.

Under the updated policy, municipalities can pass bylaws allowing carts on certain local roads, but there will be safety requirements in place to keep things from turning into a real-life game of “Mario Kart.”

Under the new rules, golf carts can’t be operated on any provincial highway, except to cross one. The local bylaw must identify the specific roads where golf carts can be operated, and the bylaws must include a stipulation that the local government “will monitor and inform SGI of any collisions that occur and if there were any injuries or fatalities.”

Don Morgan, minister responsible for SGI, said whoever decides to drive the golf carts must be aware at all times.

“It’s not something that’s got airbags, seatbelts (or) whatever else. So we expect people to exercise some caution and good opportunity for parents and families to stay involved,” Morgan said Friday during a media conference.

The previous rules around golf carts also remain in effect, the provincial government noted. Those include a requirement that drivers hold a Class 7 licence and carry a minimum of $200,000 in liability insurance for damages.

Morgan said enforcement will be up to each municipality.

“(It’ll be up to) either a local police officer or a community safety officer — that would be a peace officer would do it — or any police officer (like an) RCMP or municipal police officer,” the minister said about how rules will be enforced.

Carts also have to meet certain safety requirements, including a weight limit of 590 kilograms. They can’t operate on roadways with posted speed limits over 50 kilometres per hour, are required to display a slow-moving vehicle sign, and can only be operated during daylight hours. They also can’t be capable of exceeding 24 km/h on level ground.

“Golf carts must only be operated by a sober driver,” the province noted in a statement. “You can be charged with impaired driving if you are operating a golf cart under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

“It’s exactly the same as it would be as if you were driving a conventional motor vehicle. You’re charged under the Criminal Code, you can be required to take a breathalyzer test, have a driver’s licence suspension or if you’ve got repeat offences, you’d go to jail for it. Just because it’s a smaller vehicle, there’s no relaxation of what would take place under those penalties,” Morgan said.

The changes follow a resolution passed at the recent Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association convention. During the convention, many delegates expressed a desire to be able to set their own rules around golf cart usage.

Morgan heard that feedback and made the change.

“I talked to some of the folks at SUMA and (they) said there was really strong support for it. And I checked with SGI and it was not a matter that there was a law or regulation, it was a policy. So we said to SGI, ‘Change your policy,’ ” Morgan said.

Angie Larson, mayor of the Resort Village of Shields, said she’s pleased to see the rules updated.

“Expanding the use of golf carts within our resort village will allow golf carts to operate as vehicles on municipal roadways subject to numerous safety requirements,” Larson said in a statement. “This will improve the quality of life for our community.”

Any municipality looking to allow golf carts on public roads will have to draft its own bylaws and have it approved by council before submitting it to SGI for approval, or the municipality can send in a draft to be reviewed before submission. Morgan said the review process should take a couple of days.

Shields was the first community to have it approved and Morgan anticipated there would be around a dozen within a month.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Steve Seto