Ontarians, I need your help.
This week I was pulled over by the police for having a kid's seat on my e-bike. I was informed this is illegal in Ontario as Sec. 38 of the HTA doesn't allow anyone under the age of 16 to be on a power-assisted or motor assisted bicycle.
In 2021 the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act came out that separated power-assisted bicycles (like e-bikes) from motor assisted bicycles (like dirt bikes). This will finally allow child seats on e-bikes.
Please call your MPP to get this bill that passed and assented 3 years ago into law.
Details on the wording of the current and assented laws:
currently the Highway Traffic Act, section 38, states :
"No person who is the owner or is in possession or control of a motor assisted bicycle or power-assisted bicycle shall permit a person who is under the age of 16 years to ride on, drive or operate the motor assisted bicycle or power-assisted bicycle on a highwau"
the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, 2021, S.O. 2021, C. 26 - Bill 282 splits this into a few sections:
"No person under the age of 14 years shall operate a power-assisted bicycle described in clause (a) of the definition"
"No person under the age of 16 years shall operate a power-assisted bicycle described in clause (b) or (c)"
and the new section 38.1:
"No person under the age of 16 years shall ride on, drive or operate a motor assisted bicycle on a highway"
From my perspective this will make e-bikes legal to have kids seats; and separate the class away from gas and electric dirt bikes.
Thankfully, lessons from Europe seem to be penetrating Canada now; at least in the more urban areas. I saw some fantastic progress living in Montréal. Ottawa has the right ideas despite the master plan not being clear to people yet. Toronto was on the right path, but we'll see what provincial pressures do. My current town of Kingston is late to the party, but we've got momentum in the right direction.
We spent 50+ years changing our built environment to "optimise" for the car, even with the best intentions it's going to take time to change again.