E-cigarettes are moving out of sight in most stores — just like tobacco products — and two-wheeled e-scooters could soon be coming into view under measures taking effect in Ontario on New Year’s Day.

Other changes for 2020 include new powers for animal welfare officers to smash the windows of hot vehicles to save the lives of “pets in distress” and reductions in estate and small-business taxes.

Jan. 1 also brings the end of out-of-country OHIP coverage for medical emergencies, a move to save $9 million a year as Premier Doug Ford’s government works to end annual budget deficits, with travellers urged to get private coverage. Ontarians requiring kidney dialysis will still get funding for treatments outside the province, however.

A ban on the promotion of vape products in convenience stores and gas bars kicks in amid increasing concern about potentially fatal lung problems.

The prohibition comes a full 18 months after a similar measure slated by the previous Liberal government was nixed by Ford’s Progressive Conservatives after they took power.

Health Minister Christine Elliott announced the change of heart last October, citing concerns about teens being “exposed and influenced” by vaping products as usage soars.

“It’s not cool … it can be very dangerous for you,” she reiterated in December. “We don’t know the long-term health effects.”

Michael Perley of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco applauded the move, but said Tuesday it doesn’t go far enough given public health concerns that flavoured vape juices are attractive to teens and given the lack of regulations to curb levels of highly addictive nicotine.

While Elliott has promised more steps will be taken, Perley said “we don’t know what timetable they have” for flavours, nicotine and raising the age of majority for purchases of tobacco and vaping products from 19 to 21.

Promotion of vaping products will be allowed only in specialty stores open to those aged 19 and over.

Perley said he hopes authorities “immediately” enforce the promotion ban in corner stores and gas bars, making sure vape products are under cover as cigarettes have been for years, and that no posters or other displays remain in store windows.

On the transportation front, Queen’s Park has given municipalities across the province the green light to begin five-year pilot projects on the use of e-scooters.

“E-scooters have the potential to help hundreds of thousands of commuters get to transit connections, reduce congestion and open the Ontario market to a new and growing sector,” the Ministry of Transportation said in a news release Tuesday.

But, for now, the vehicles remain forbidden on the streets of Toronto until city council decides what shape a trial would take. A report with recommendations from city staff is expected to go before councillors by the end of March.

“They are only legal on private property at this time,” the city’s transportation department confirmed in a statement Tuesday.

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Scooter companies such as Bird and Lime — with fleets of online rentals in cities including Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton — are hoping to get in on the action at the same time as critics warn about potential safety hazards.

“The city of Toronto told us they’ll launch some time in the spring, so we’re going to hold them to it,” Steward Lyons of Bird said Tuesday, estimating there could be between 5,000 and 10,000 battery-powered scooters on city streets.

Users will download an app on their smartphones to locate and start scooters and, in the case of Bird, likely pay $1.15 to start and 35 cents a minute. Most trips are expected to be between two to five kilometres.

Ontario has set a minimum age of 16 for e-scooter users, requiring them to wear helmets and the vehicles to have bells and horns as well as white front and red rear lights. Riding e-scooters on sidewalks is prohibited.

“We and others will be exposed to the danger of serious injuries,” warns David Lepofsky, chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance.

“As a blind person, I want to walk safely in public. I fear an inattentive, unlicensed, uninsured person as young as 16 with no training, experience or knowledge of the rules of the road, silently rocketing towards me at 24 kilometres an hour.”

That’s the maximum speed set by Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney, down from 32 km/h in an earlier proposal.

In other changes, the estate tax on estates of $50,000 or less is being eliminated and the tax on larger estates is being reduced by $250.

The small-business corporate income tax rate will shrink to 3.2 per cent from 3.5 per cent, saving 275,000 businesses up to $1,500 annually, the government says.

Primary screening of colorectal cancer will change from the fecal occult blood test to the fecal immunochemical test under the ColonCancerCheck program.

People who have received radioactive implants as part of their cancer treatments will have expanded access to cremation.

Highway 407 customers with outstanding fines will be able to pay them all at once so they can renew their licence plates.