Electric scooters are helping to revolutionize the way people travel. They’re easy, convenient and allow you to get from A to B in record time. There is a major problem with such a boom in popularity despite the upsides. The lawmakers are struggling to keep up.
With questions surrounding their legality, there is confusion on where you can ride an electric scooter. The confusion is that these rules can change from one province to the next.
Here we’ll aim to clear all of this up and allow you to ride your e-scooter with confidence. We’ll discuss the right answer to whether or not you can ride an electric scooter on the sidewalk in Canada.
Here’s what you need to know.
Can You Ride an Electric Scooter on the Sidewalk in Canada?
Unfortunately, the short answer to this is no. It’s illegal to ride an electric scooter on the sidewalk in most of Canada. Foot traffic on sidewalks means riding an electric scooter on sidewalks comes with the risk of running into a pedestrian and causing injuries.
The risk of accidents is a situation Canadian authorities do not want to accept. Therefore, e-scooters are banned from most sidewalks. However, there are a few exceptions that we’ll cover in detail.
Read on to find out where you can ride electric scooters on sidewalks in Canada. We’ll also highlight electric scooter regulations for different provinces in Canada.
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Public roads Vs Sidewalks: Where to Ride Electric Scooters in Different Canadian Provinces
Admittedly, both in Canada and around the world, almost every scooter accident that has resulted in death has involved a collision between a scooter and a car. Thus, it’s easy to conclude that riding scooters on roads is unsafe. For this reason, electric scooters are banned from public roads in many countries, including Canada.
Despite banning e-scooters from roads, the sidewalks are also not an option. Many provinces in Canada prohibit riding electric scooters on sidewalks.
Riders may believe sidewalks are safer for them, but authorities say having scooters on the sidewalks is not safe for pedestrians. First, electric scooters parked on sidewalks are obstacles that pedestrians can trip over. Secondly, there are many accidents involving pedestrians hit with electric scooters. The elderly and people with disabilities using the sidewalks may also get hit.
No blanket law makes electric scooters illegal on all sidewalks in Canada. The rules vary by city and province. It’s really up to the municipalities to develop parameters for electric scooter riders.
Here we’ll take a closer look at the regulations governing the operation of electric scooters in different Canadian provinces.
Ontario
From January 1, 2020, Ontario started a pilot program to allow electric scooters on its roads. It’s now down to individual municipalities to decide what roads to allow electric scooters on.
Each municipality will also determine whether to allow e-scooters on bike paths, parks, and trails. Therefore, you should check your local municipality rules before you buy a new e-scooter.
As for sidewalks, the law explicitly prohibits e-scooters from operating on them because they’re for pedestrians, including persons with disabilities.
Other provincial requirements include:
- Speed: Electric scooters should operate at a maximum speed of 24km/h
- Age requirement: Persons must be 16 years of age or older to use e-scooters
- Helmet requirement: Riders under 18 years of age must use bicycle helmets. Though helmets are not compulsory for riders over 18 years old, they’re strongly recommended.
Quebec
The province started a pilot project concerning electric scooters on 29 August 2018 and amended it on 9 September 2021. The project, which will run until 13 September 2023, allows the operation of electric scooters on some public roads within Quebec.
Training is mandatory for the project, and users who complete the training will get a certificate. Only persons with these certificates can ride their electric scooters on Quebec roads. Riders also need to be at least 18 years old and have a licence allowing them to operate a motorized scooter.
You can only ride electric scooters on Quebec roads where the maximum speed limit is 70km/h or less. E Leigh let’s electric scooters must have power ratings below 500W and a 32km/h speed limit. When it comes to protective equipment, Quebec is stricter than other provinces. Wearing a bicycle helmet is compulsory for all electric scooter riders.
British Columbia
British Columbia has a pilot project that allows electric scooters on some roads. This is limited to roads in communities participating in the project. These communities include:
- Kelowna
- Nanaimo
- City of Vancouver
- City of North Vancouver
- District of North Vancouver
- District of West Vancouver
- Vernon
- Richmond
Regarding riding e-scooters on sidewalks, the provincial requirement is that electric scooters should not be used on sidewalks unless a traffic control sign or a municipality by-law permits it.
Other provincial requirements are:
- Roads: E-scooters can only be used on roads where the maximum speed limit is less than 50km/h
- Speed: Power output rating must not exceed 500W, and your e-scooter must always remain under the 24km/h mark.
- Age requirement: Riders must be over 16 years old
- Protective equipment: Wearing a helmet is compulsory. Other protection gears like elbow and knee pads are also strongly recommended, though not made compulsory. Use of reflective best or tapes is also advised to increase visibility to other road users.
Alberta
Alberta has amended its regulations to allow the operation of electric scooters. When it comes to where e-scooters are allowed, the rules vary by city. For example, e-scooters are not allowed on the road in Calgary, but they’re allowed on the sidewalks — as long as they don’t block pedestrians.
In Edmonton, it’s the opposite. E-scooters are not allowed on the sidewalks but are allowed on the road with a maximum speed limit of 50km/h or less. The rules also vary for riding e-scooters on bike lanes. They are allowed in some places and are prohibited in others.
Other provincial requirements include:
- Age requirement: You must be 18 years and above to ride e-scooters in Alberta
- Speed: You must ride your electric scooter at speeds less than 20km/h
- Protective equipment: Alberta is less strict. Helmets are not even compulsory. Though, they are strongly recommended.
FAQ about Riding Electric Scooters in Canada
Here’s what you need to know:
How old do you need to be to ride an e-scooter in Canada?
The age requirement for riding e-scooters in Canada varies by province. In Alberta, you must be 18 years old to ride an e-scooter, but in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, 16 year-olds can ride an electric scooter.
Do you need a licence to ride an e-scooter in Canada?
Generally, you don’t need a driver’s licence to ride an electric scooter in Canada. However, when in Quebec, there are scenarios where you’ll need some documentation. For example:
- All riders are required to have a completion certificate for the requisite training exercise
- If you are under 18 years, you need a license attesting you can operate a motorized scooter
Do you need Insurance to ride an electric scooter in Canada?
Generally, Canada does not require people to insure their electric scooters before riding them on allowed roads. Electric scooter companies have liability insurance, but these do not cover riders. Thus, a rider will be personally responsible for their medical expenses and any other damage if an accident occurs.
Therefore, riders should have health insurance. While it is not a legal requirement, health insurance will cover any medical expenses should an accident occur.
Do you need protective equipment to ride an electric scooter in Canada?
It depends on which part of Canada you are in. In some places, wearing a helmet is compulsory, but in others, it is not.
For example:
- In Quebec and British Columbia, helmets are compulsory for all riders
- In Ontario, helmets are compulsory for only riders between 16 – 18 years
- In Alberta, helmets are not compulsory
Even where wearing helmets are not compulsory, there is a strong case for wearing them. Injuries from scooter accidents will be less severe if riders wear protective helmets.
Helmets are the major protective gear for e-scooters. But some provinces also recommend wearing protective gears like ankle pads, knee pads and reflective vests.
Related Article: E-Bike & E-Scooter Regulations Saskatchewan
Final Thoughts
In Canada, electric scooters are generally banned from public roads and highways due to the risks of serious injuries when collisions happen with cars.
However, the law isn’t as definite for riding e-scooters on sidewalks. Authorities recognize that riding e-scooters on sidewalks pose risks to pedestrians, but rules vary by province and city.
Provincial requirements generally do not allow e-scooters on sidewalks. However, some provinces allow municipalities to decide. As a result, there are a few Canadian cities where you can use e-scooters on sidewalks, such as Calgary.
Now that you know where to use electric scooters, the next step is buying one that meets legal requirements. Check out our online store at Epic Cycles for the finest collection of electric scooters!
