TORONTO -- Ontario is starting a five-year pilot project beginning Jan. 1 to allow e-scooters on roads.

The two-wheeled, motorized vehicles are currently illegal to operate anywhere in the province other than on private property.

The pilot will let municipalities decide whether to allow e-scooters on municipal roads, including parks and trails.

E-scooter drivers will have to be at least 16 years old and wear a helmet, and their vehicles will need to have a horn or bell and a front and rear light.

The government says Quebec and Alberta are also running e-scooter pilots.

Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney says the five-year trial will help businesses expand, enrich local economies and offer people more options to get around safely.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2019.