16-07-2025
New CAA report calls for clearer rules on e-bikes and e-scooters
E-scooters and helmets are seen lined up on an Ottawa street. July 16, 2025. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
E-bikes and e-scooters are changing how people get around, but not everyone thinks they belong on shared pathways.
A new report by CAA and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation found the rules around e-bikes and e-scooters are often unclear.
'What that means is that there's different rules and bylaws and regulations, and people really need to be familiar with them. That means where can you drive them? What sort of traffic rules should you be following? Do you need a helmet? That sort of thing,' said Julie Beun of CAA.
Joan Grant, a former public health nurse and avid cyclist, says what's happening on multi-use pathways is putting people at risk.
'It's an accident waiting to happen,' she said.
Grant says electric scooters and bikes are just too fast for certain pathways.
'The scooters may be a problem, but I don't think they're the major problem. I think electric bicycles, people that are using this now as a racetrack. We need to rethink how we're doing our paths and who's on it, and make sure that people know the rules of the road. And they don't,' she said.
According to the Ottawa Police Service, when operating an e-bike you need to wear, at a minimum, a bicycle helmet. E-bikes can go no faster than 32 km/h on a roadway and any modification to an e-bike, such as removing the pedals or adapting the power source classifies it as a motorcycle, which requires an M-class licence, insurance and registration.
The City of Ottawa can regulate rental scooters, limiting their speed and where they can operate, but officials say there's little control over privately owned devices, something they say province needs to address.
'It's really challenging for the private owners of scooters. We see them all the time racing up and down, going well above what we govern ours at, at 20 kilometres an hour. And certainly, I think the province should look into this. I know they're looking into it after speaking to the Minister of Transportation, and I feel this is something that will become more of an issue,' said Coun. Tim Tierney, chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.
Under Ottawa's e-scooter bylaw, e-scooters can only be used by riders 16 years of age or older, the operating speed limit is 20 km/h and 12 km/h in designated 'slow zones.' Riders under the age of 18 must wear a helmet. Each scooter is only allowed a single rider at one time and e-scooters are not permitted to operate on a sidewalk.
Even some who ride e-bikes say speed is the number one issue on pathways.
'If they go more than 20, I wouldn't want them there. No, I definitely don't think anything should be over 20 on this,' said e-cyclist Leo Lalonde.
Grant says she wants to see more rules for drivers of electric bikes and scooters.
'When it comes to e-scooters whizzing past you or one of those unicycle things, they don't need to be on the pathway. I think it's just too much,' she said.
