Transport Canada has made the decision to step away from defining and regulating e-bikes as of February 2021. Since this decision was communicated in February of this year, VCB has been engaging stakeholders to understand the scope and impact of this decision.
Our main concern is that the lack of country-wide definitions could lead to a mish mash of regulation across the country, with each province and territory taking their own path. We are already beginning to see that occurring in the discussions happening now.
Having harmonized definitions of e-bikes across Canada benefits everyone. Having different regulations in each province will act as a barrier for manufacturers and retailers getting their bikes to market. And this is a huge market! Over the past several months e-bike sales have exploded across Canada. While bike sales have increased significantly, it is the e-bike market that has shown the most growth.
Vélo Canada Bikes sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau on behalf of our cycling advocacy partners asking for a stop to the repeal of the federal definitions and to work together to have a more cohesive approach to e-bikes and micro-mobility.
We look forward to a response to our letter and engaging with our partners and stakeholders further to support a bike friendly Canada.
