Road Safety

Power-Assisted Cycle

Features

• They have handlebars and pedals.
• They are designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground.
• They can be propelled by muscle power applied to the pedals.
• They have an electric motor (but not a gasoline motor) of 500 W or less.

Travelling on a public road with power-assisted cycles is allowed. In addition, they do not need to be registered. However, the Highway Safety Code provides for specific rules for users of this type of vehicle.

Operators of these vehicles must:

• be age 14 or over;
• wear a bicycle helmet;
• if under age 18, hold a licence to drive a moped or motorized scooter, or a probationary licence to drive either a passenger vehicle or a motorcycle. Riders age 18 or over do not require a licence to operate a power-assisted cycle.

As long as they obey the the same traffic rules that apply to cyclists, operators of power-assisted cycles can use the road network.

Equipment on a power-assisted cycle must comply with Motor Vehicle Safety Act and Highway Safety Code requirements, in particular, with regard to reflectors. Bikes must have a label affixed by the manufacturer.

These safety measures are necessary, since the vehicle can reach average speeds higher than those of traditional bicycles.

Cycles equipped with a combustion engine
Operating a cycle equipped with a combustion engine is prohibited on the road network and bike paths. Adding this type of engine converts the cycle to a hand-crafted scooter or motorcycle, based on characteristics like maximum speed, type of transmission and cylinder capacity. The Highway Safety Code does not authorize this type of conversion.

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