Brampton wants tougher e-bike safety rules in place across Ontario

Brampton City Council is calling on the province to require licenses to drive certain types of electric bicycles.

Ontario is reviewing its e-bike classifications following updates to the Highway Traffic Act and Safer Roads and Communities Act, including establishing distinct classes of e-bikes.

The province is asking municipalities for their input on the class definitions, and Brampton has put forward several recommendations, including speed-limiting e-bikes to no more than 32 kilometres per hour.

The city wants to see the province require faster, heavier moped, scooter, or motorcycle-style vehicles to be licensed and insured, and set limits for e-bike operators to be at least 16 years of age.

The city’s other recommendations include e-bikes have a total continuous power output of 500 watts or less, are equipped with hand cranks or foot pedals, have an adjustable saddle, and require all operators to wear a helmet.

City staff want the province to reduce the maximum weight limit of 120 kilograms for Class 2 power-assisted bicycles, “and to require brakes adequate for an operator to safely stop the vehicle within 9 metres even when loaded” in wet and hilly conditions.

The recommendations were put forward by Coun. Rowena Santos and unanimously approved by council on June 3, just days before the province’s consultation period ended.

The province says redefining e-bikes in Ontario “offers potential environmental benefits by encouraging a shift from higher-emission travel modes to lower emission alternatives, supporting congestion reduction, improving first and last-mile connections to transit, and enabling the ministry to better respond to technological changes that may promote cleaner transportation options.”

Benefits of an updated regulatory framework for e-bikes include improving safety, providing greater clarity for riders, industry, municipalities, and enforcement, and modernizing the framework “to keep pace with a rapidly evolving e-bike market.”