Please note the difference between Federal
legislation and Provincial legislation. The Federal government creates
the vehicle categories and the Province creates legislation within
those categories.
Please contact first the ministry of Transport, then public safety. If
they something
along the lines of if it doesn't look like a bike it's not then demand
to know what line item of legislation says that. After the game of
phone tag though contact your local MLA. When I call they tell
me yes ebikes are legal but if it looks like a bike it's a bike and if
it doesn't it isn't. When you talk to your MLA also bring up things
like Segways, 4 wheel toy electric ride on toys, quadracycles, and bike
trailers.
To be clear the Province can legislate anything they want, but they
actually have to pass the legislation.
FEDERAL
“moped”[Repealed,
SOR/88-268,
s. 1] “motor driven cycle”[Repealed,
SOR/88-268,
s.
1]
"motorcycle"
« motocyclette »
"motorcycle" means a vehicle of the subclasses enclosed motorcycle,
open motorcycle, limited-speed motorcycle and motor tricycle, that
(a) is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with
the ground,
(b) has a minimum wheel rim diameter of 250 mm, and
(c) has a minimum wheelbase of 1 016 mm, but does
not include a
power-assisted bicycle, a
restricted-use motorcycle, a low-speed vehicle, a passenger car, a
truck, a multi-purpose passenger vehicle, a competition vehicle, a
vehicle imported temporarily for special purposes or a three-wheeled
vehicle;
"power-assisted bicycle"
« bicyclette assistée »
"power-assisted bicycle" means a vehicle that:
(a) has steering handlebars and is equipped with pedals,
(b) is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with
the ground,
(c) is capable of being propelled by muscular power,
(d) has one or more electric motors that have, singly or in
combination, the following characteristics:
(i) it has a total continuous power output rating, measured at the
shaft of each motor, of 500 W or less,
(ii) if it is engaged by the use of muscular power, power assistance
immediately ceases when the muscular power ceases,
(iii) if it is engaged by the use of an accelerator controller, power
assistance immediately ceases when the brakes are applied, and
(iv) it is incapable of providing further assistance when the bicycle
attains a speed of 32 km/h on level ground,
(e) bears a label that is permanently affixed by the manufacturer and
appears in a conspicuous location stating, in both official languages,
that the vehicle is a power-assisted bicycle as defined in this
subsection, and
(f) has one of the following safety features,
(i) an enabling mechanism to turn the electric motor on and off that is
separate from the accelerator controller and fitted in such a manner
that it is operable by the driver, or
(ii) a mechanism that prevents the motor from being engaged before the
bicycle attains a speed of 3 km/h.
