Large quadricycles are pedal-powered vehicles that can carry 12 or more people, including a driver who has control of steering. Sometimes known as party bikes, they are most often used for tours, taking passengers along a set route with stops at pubs or other destinations along the way. Some large quadricycles have electric motors to assist the pedal power. No alcohol is permitted to be consumed on board.
Anyone wishing to operate large quadricycles in Toronto must apply for pedicab licences under the City’s Licencing Bylaw. In June 2022, City Council adopted recommendations to opt-in to the Province of Ontario’s Pilot Project – Large Quadricycles, which allowed the operation of large quadricycles in Toronto under specific conditions.
The use and impacts of large quadricycles in 2022 and 2023 were closely monitored by staff. In April 2024, Council approved the City’s continued participation in the provincial pilot, which will allow large quadricycles to operate until 2032, or until otherwise determined by Council. This decision was based on findings, summarized in a staff report to Council, that large quadricycles did not adversely impact traffic congestion, transit operations, or public safety in the first two years of operation. Input received from local businesses confirmed that large quadricycle tours present a small but visible economic development opportunity and support tourism. Further, results from a public survey in early 2024 found that the majority of Toronto resident respondents support the continued use of large quadricycles in Toronto.
Staff continue to monitor the impacts of large quadricycles. Residents can email MLSFeedback@toronto.ca with any feedback.
Operators of large quadricycles must apply for a pedicab owner’s licence for each vehicle, and every driver of a large quadricycle must apply for a pedicab driver’s licence, both of which are issued by Municipal Licensing and Standards. In addition to the regulations that apply to all pedicabs, operators of large quadricycles must hold $2 million insurance and must have their routes approved by Transportation Services.
Each pedicab owner’s licence is issued for one year, and can not be leased, transferred, or sold. Each pedicab driver must hold a valid Ontario driver’s licence and be licensed as a pedicab driver independent from the pedicab owner’s license. Learn more about the application requirements and regulations for Pedicab Owners and Pedicab Drivers.
Large quadricycle owners must have their proposed operating routes approved by the City of Toronto, Transportation Services prior to operations. Operating routes must be approved:
When seeking route verification, large quadricycle operators must submit maps for each proposed route no less than 10 business days prior to their desired operation date. These maps should indicate:
The City shall not verify any routes that include the following roadways and movements:
The City may amend from time to time this list of restrictions in response to emerging transportation conditions such as construction activity and street events.
In addition to those listed above, large quadricycles are subject to the same restrictions that apply to all pedicabs, including:
Route verification for large quadricycles may be amended, suspended, or revoked with 48 hours’ notice at the discretion of the City.
In April 2022, the Province of Ontario announced the Pilot Project – Large Quadricycles under the Highway Traffic Act. This regulation enables the use of large quadricycles only in municipalities that have opted-in to the pilot. Each municipality can create its own bylaws which further regulate how large quadricycles can be used.
The regulation contains a range of requirements that apply to any large quadricycle, regardless of the municipality in which it operates. This includes that the driver must hold a valid Ontario Driver’s Licence and that the large quadricycle must be equipped with headlights, taillights, turn signals, brake lights, hazard lights, service brakes, and parking brake and have a slow-moving vehicle sign on the back. They must not be capable of travelling at a speed of 17km/h or greater on level ground. Large quadricycles and their drivers must follow the same road rules as other vehicles.
Findings from public consultations in early 2024 indicated general support for the continued operation of large quadricycles in Toronto. Staff received a total of 778 survey responses to an online public survey. Of the survey respondents who identified as Toronto residents, 70% support some level of expansion (i.e. number of vehicles and locations permitted) of large quadricycle operations, and 7% support continuation under the same conditions that applied in 2022-2023. A smaller portion (16%) of respondents support a complete ban on large quadricycles anywhere in the city and 7% have no preference or opinion. More details about the results of this survey and other consultation activities are included in Attachment 1 to the staff report submitted to Council in March 2024.
Staff continue to monitor the impacts of large quadricycles. Comments can be sent to MLSFeedback@toronto.ca.