Guelph, Canada — Electric-powered bicycles are considered bicycles in most places around the world…as long as they meet certain specifications. If they can go faster than a certain speed, they are no longer considered e-bikes but rather scooters, for example. So how do you find  what you need to know regarding e-bikes. Well, ask the shop where you’re buying it, of course, but also check your local government website to see what the rules are, just to doublecheck. In Guelph, for example, even though you don’t need a driver’s licence to ride a battery-operated bike, if you’ve lost your licence due to a Criminal Code infraction such as impaired driving, you are not allowed to ride them.

“If you operate an e-bike after losing your license, you can be charged with driving while disqualified,” Guelph Police Sgt. Doug Pflug pointed out. “It’s a bit confusing because the law says you don’t need a license to operate one.”

In Gueph, ebikes are those that operate on a battery not exceeding 500 watts or by pedal power and can’t go faster than 32 kilometers per hour. You can be as young as 16 to operate them and need to wear only a bicycle helmet. Ministry of Transportation spokesperson Emna Dhahak said the Criminal Code considers e-bikes a motorized vehicle, while the Highway Traffic Act considers them a bicycle. Therefore, if you lose your license due to Highway Traffic Act violations, you are still allowed to operate an e-bike. But a Criminal Code infraction means you can’t operate one.

WHAT ARE E-BIKES? (In Guelph)

- powered by electric motor not exceeding 500 watts
- maximum speed of 32 kilometres per-hour
- does not require insurance or driver’s licence
- operators must be at least 16-years-old
- must wear a bicycle helmet
- must have pedals that are operable

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Alberta, Canada — New regulations as of July 1, 2009 will allow people to ride power-assisted bicycles without needing a licence, insurance or registration. Riders will have to wear a helmet that is approved by the Department of Transportation.

Originally, because eBikes weighted 40 kilograms, they were too heavy to qualify as non-licensed bicycles.

The bikes had no problem in the rest of Canada, but in Alberta, any vehicle that weighed more than 35 kilograms and traveled faster than 35 kilometers per hour was considered a moped. And moped riders had to be licensed. Unlicensed e-bike owners were fined.

These regulations added about $1,000 to the cost of the eBike, which are imported from China. The bikes sell for between $1,899 and $2,600.

Alberta’s new regulations stipulate power or power-assisted bicycles have a top speed of 32 km/h and an electric motor with a maximum power of 500 watts. Weight is not restricted, no driver’s license is required and the minimum driving age is 12. No insurance or registration is needed but a motorcycle helmet is required.

eBikes take between two and four hours to charge and can be charged every day at a cost of five or 10 cents.

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