Electric Scooters & Electric Bicycles

• E-scooters and e-bikes are not toys.
• It is illegal for youth under the age of 16 to operate an e-scooter or e-bike across Ontario.    
  • The Provincial Ontario Regulation 3.89/19: Pilot Project – Electric Kick-Scooters states that a child under the age of 16 is not allowed to operate or ride on an electric kick-scooter. For more information visit:  O. Reg. 389/19: Pilot Project – Electric  Kick-Scooters (ontario.ca) .
  • The Province’s Highway Traffic Act states that a child under the age of 16 is not allowed to operate or ride on an electric bicycle. For more information visit: Highway Traffic Act, Section 38.1(2). Although e-scooters are allowed in some municipalities, they are not allowed in Toronto on public streets, sidewalks, trails or other public spaces, regardless of user age. 
• The City does not have the authority to regulate what is sold, only what is operated in public spaces. It is for this reason you will see e-scooters available for purchase or rent in Toronto stores and frequently marketed to youth under 16 years.  

Your Child’s Health and Safety:

E-scooters present a significant safety hazard and can cause serious injuries. 

Since 2020, the SickKids Hospital Trauma Registry has seen a significant increase in the number of serious injuries related to battery-powered mobility devices: SickKids seeing growing number of injuries from e-scooters and e-bicycles. 

In 2024 SickKids found that among injuries treated by their staff:  

• E-scooters were associated with 85 per cent of serious injuries from battery-powered mobility devices. 
• Nearly half of all e-scooter injuries involved children aged 10-13.
• 81 per cent of injured e-scooter riders were male.  
• Use of a helmet does not prevent head injuries, approximately 36 per cent of injuries treated were head injuries, and 56 per cent of injured patients were not wearing a helmet at the time of their injury.   
• 31 per cent of injuries treated involved multiple parts of the body .  

Toronto City Council decided to not opt in to the e-scooter pilot in late May 2024 (Agenda Item History – 2024.IE13.1 (toronto.ca). Therefore they are Illegal to ride in the City of Toronto.  

Know Before You Go:

• E-scooters are not allowed on public roads, sidewalks or trails in Toronto.
• Although e-scooters are allowed in some municipalities, they are not allowed to be ridden on City of Toronto.
• E-scooters are not regulated on the market and are available for purchase in stores. Even though they can be bought, they are not allowed on public streets in Toronto. The City does not have the authority to regulate what is sold, only what is used in public spaces.
• E-scooters that are standing electric kick-scooters are not allowed to be operated, left, stored or parked on any public street in Toronto including bicycle lanes, cycle tracks, trails, paths, sidewalks or parks under Municipal Code Chapters 950, 886 and 608.
• Toronto Police Service are enforcing fines and penalties for violations of the  Highway Traffic Act and Toronto Municipal Code by-laws, when officers see an infraction.
• Lithium-ion batteries are found in many common devices, including e-scooters. Certified lithium-ion batteries that are properly charged, used, and disposed of are generally safe. Overcharged, modified, or damaged batteries are not safe and can cause a fire or even explode. 

E-bikes are allowed on public streets in Toronto. They produce zero emissions, and the electric assist makes it easier to travel uphill and longer distances, making e-bikes more accessible to people of different fitness levels.  

Know Before You Go

• You must be 16 years or older to ride an e-bike in Ontario.
• You must wear an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet.  
• When buying an e-bike, it is important for consumers to make sure it meets the Provincial Government standards. 
• There are different types of e-bikes, so be sure to learn about them and where you can ride them on city streets.  
• Toronto Police Service are enforcing fines and penalties for violations of the  Highway Traffic Act and Toronto Municipal Code by-laws, when officers see an infraction.
• Lithium-ion batteries are found in many common devices, including e-bikes. Certified lithium-ion batteries that are properly charged, used, and disposed of are generally safe. Overcharged, modified, or damaged batteries are not safe and can cause a fire or even explode.

What is an E-Bike?

E-bikes in Ontario must have:

• a maximum assisted speed of 32 km/h.
• a maximum weight of 120 kg (includes the weight of the bike and battery).
• an electric motor not exceeding 500 watts.
• no modifications to the motor to allow it to exceed a power output greater than 500 watts and an assisted speed greater than 32 km/h.
• battery and electric motor securely fastened to the bicycle frame to prevent them from moving while the e-bike is operating
• all electrical terminals properly insulated.
• minimum wheel width of 35 mm and minimum diameter of 350 mm.
• two independent braking systems that applies force to each wheel and is capable of bringing the e-bike, while being operated at a speed of 30 km/h, to a full stop within 9 metres, on a level asphalt surface, from the point at which the brakes were applied.

Please see the Ministry of Transportation’s Riding an E-bike page for more information.

What E-bike Riders Need

While a drivers’ licence, vehicle permit or licence plate is not required to operate an E-bike, riders must:

• be 16 or older
• wear an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet
• keep their E-bike in good working order
• follow the same rules of the road as other people cycling

Types of E-Bikes and Where to Ride

	Description	Roadway  (vehicle lanes)	Bicycle Lane  (painted only)	Cycle Track  (separated, eg. curbs, planters, etc)	Multi-use Trails and Paths   (includes pedestrians, joggers, etc)	Sidewalks
Bicycle	Human powered bicycle	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No (14 years and older)
E-bike requiring pedaling  (“pedelecs” under 40 kg)	Electric power assist bicycle that require some muscular power	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
E-bike requiring pedaling  (“pedelecs” over 40 kg)	Electric power assist tricycle that require some muscular power	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Power-assisted E-bike  (max. 120 kg, max. speed 32 km/hr)	Throttle, electric motor-scooter that requires no pedalling and no muscular power   Max 32 km/h speed capability	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Motorcycles, Mopeds, Motor Scooters	Capable of speeds greater than 32 km/h	Yes	No	No	No	No

Where Can I Ride?

On May 22-23, 2024, City Council adopted a Micromobility Strategy for Toronto (IE 13.1). You can learn more about where different forms of Micromobility are allowed to operate in the City.

Multi-use Trails, Paths and Parks

Motorized vehicles (including power-assisted E-bikes) may not be used on park multi-use paths. If a motorized vehicle is used on a park path, the rider/driver may be fined by bylaw enforcement officers. The Waterfront Multi-use path, Don Valley and Humber Multi-use paths, are all considered parklands. The West Toronto Railpath and Hydro corridor trails are considered linear parks.

Toronto Ferries

Electric kick scooters, motorcycles or e-bikes over 40 kg are not allowed on ferries to Toronto Island Park or on Toronto Islands. All conventional bicycles and e-bikes that weigh less than 40 kg and require muscular power to operate are allowed on ferries and on the islands.

Parking an E-bike – Post & Ring Stands

Under Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 950 , section 201B, only bicycles including E-bikes that are defined under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act  as “capable at all times of being propelled on level ground solely by using muscular power to operate the pedals” can park on the sidewalk, and use a post and ring stand as though they were a conventional bicycle. E-bikes that are not “capable at all times of being propelled on level ground solely by using muscular power to operate the pedals” such as scooter-style or moped-style E-bikes may park on-street as motorcycles do.