E-bikes and E-scooter Accidents in Ontario: Rights, Laws, Rules and Injury Claims Explained

Published: May 10, 2021 | Last Reviewed: October 14, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Compliant e-bikes are legal across Ontario without a licence, registration or insurance, but riders must be at least 16 and wear a helmet.
• E-scooters are only legal in municipalities that have opted into Ontario’s pilot program. Toronto has not opted in.
• Illegal modifications can cause an e-bike to be treated as a motor vehicle.
• Breaking a riding rule does not automatically prevent a claim, but it may reduce compensation.
• Injured riders, pedestrians and cyclists may be entitled to accident benefits or compensation through a personal injury claim.

In Ontario, a compliant e-bike is legal to ride province-wide without a licence, insurance, or registration, as long as it meets the province’s technical definition of a “power-assisted bicycle”, which is 500 watts or less, 32 km/h assisted top speed, working pedals, and a rider at least 16 years old wearing a helmet.

E-scooters are legal only in municipalities that have opted into Ontario’s provincial pilot program. For example, Toronto has not opted in, so riding one in the city on any public road, sidewalk, bike lane, or trail is illegal.

Both vehicle types are treated as “vehicles” under the Highway Traffic Act, which means real liability exposure if you’re in a crash — and Ontario is currently in the process of rewriting its e-bike rules, with changes that could affect what you’re riding as early as 2027.

As e-bikes and e-scooters have become more popular across Ontario, the number of collisions and injuries involving these devices has also increased.

If you have been injured while riding an e-bike or e-scooter, or were struck by one as a pedestrian or cyclist, an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you understand your rights, available insurance benefits, and whether you may be entitled to compensation.

Before getting into the legal details, it’s worth looking at the key differences between e-bikes and e-scooters in Ontario. Although they’re often grouped together as micromobility devices, they are regulated differently and have different rules around speed, equipment, helmets, and where they can be ridden.

E-Bike vs. E-Scooter in Ontario: Key Differences

	E-Bike (Power-Assisted Bicycle)	E-Scooter (Electric Kick-Scooter)
Legal status	Legal province-wide	Legal only in municipalities that opted into the provincial pilot
Max motor power	500 W	500 W
Max assisted speed	32 km/h	24 km/h
Max weight	120 kg	45 kg
Minimum age	16	16
Helmet	Required for all riders, any age	Required for riders under 18
Licence/insurance/registration	None required if compliant	None required if compliant

The biggest practical difference is that Ontario gives compliant e-bikes a more established province-wide legal framework, while e-scooters depend much more heavily on local municipal rules.

What Is an E-Bike Under Ontario Law?

Ontario law refers to qualifying e-bikes as power-assisted bicycles.

According to the Government of Ontario’s current e-bike requirements, a compliant e-bike must have:

• A maximum motor-assisted speed of 32 km/h
• A maximum weight of 120 kg, including the bicycle and battery
• An electric motor that does not exceed 500 watts
• Functional pedals
• A battery and electric motor securely attached to the bicycle
• Properly insulated electrical terminals
• Wheels at least 35 mm wide and 350 mm in diameter
• Two independent braking systems capable of bringing the bike to a complete stop within nine metres from 30 km/h on a level asphalt surface

The motor cannot be modified to produce more than 500 watts or continue providing assistance above 32 km/h.

To operate an e-bike in Ontario, the rider must also be at least 16 years old and wear an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet.

Unlike a conventional bicycle, the helmet requirement applies to e-bike riders of all ages.

A compliant e-bike does not require a driver’s licence, vehicle registration or automobile insurance.

When Is an E-Bike No Longer Legally an E-Bike?

Removing the pedals can have major legal consequences.

The Government of Ontario specifically states that removing the pedals makes an e-bike a motor vehicle, which means a licence, insurance and registration are required to operate it.

It is also illegal to modify an e-bike’s electric motor so that it exceeds the permitted 500-watt output or 32 km/h assisted-speed limit.

This distinction has become increasingly important as heavier, scooter-style and motorcycle-style electric vehicles have entered the market under the general description of “e-bikes.”

Ontario Has Proposed New E-Bike Classes

Ontario is considering changes to how e-bikes are classified.

In April 2026, the Ministry of Transportation published Environmental Registry proposal 026-0422, which would introduce two e-bike classes:

• Class 1: Pedal-assist e-bikes weighing up to 55 kg
• Class 2: Pedal-assist or throttle-controlled e-bikes weighing up to 120 kg

Both classes would continue to require functional pedals and would retain the current 500-watt and 32 km/h limits. The proposal would also more clearly separate bicycle-style e-bikes from throttle-only, motorcycle- or moped-style vehicles.

These changes are not yet law. As of August 22, 2026, the proposal remains under review, so Ontario’s current e-bike rules continue to apply.

What Is an E-Scooter Under Ontario Law?

E-scooters are regulated separately from e-bikes.

Ontario created its Electric Kick-Scooter Pilot Project in 2020, with the rules are set out in Ontario Regulation 389/19.

Under the pilot, a legal e-scooter must have two wheels, a standing platform and handlebars, weigh no more than 45 kg, use a motor of no more than 500 watts, and have a maximum speed of 24 km/h. It must also have brakes, a bell or horn, front and rear lights, and reflective material.

Seats, pedals, baskets, passengers and cargo are not permitted. Riders must be at least 16 years old, remain standing while riding, and wear an approved bicycle helmet if they are under 18.

However, something extremely important to note is that meeting these specs makes a scooter legal to build, but it doesn’t make it legal to ride everywhere.

That depends on where you live.

Where Are E-Scooters Legal in Ontario?

Unlike e-bikes, Ontario’s e-scooter framework does not automatically permit e-scooters on public streets throughout the province.

The provincial pilot allows individual municipalities to decide whether e-scooters can be operated locally.

The pilot began on January 1, 2020 and has been extended until November 27, 2029.

A municipality that wants to participate must pass a bylaw permitting e-scooter use. Municipalities can also establish additional rules governing where scooters can operate.

That means a scooter that can legally be ridden in one Ontario city may be prohibited in another.

For example:

• Ottawa opted in back in 2020. Under the city’s Electric Kick Scooter By-law, e-scooters can be ridden on multi-use pathways, cycling facilities, and roads posted 50 km/h or lower, though sidewalks are off-limits. Ottawa also caps speed at 20 km/h (stricter than the province’s 24 km/h) and fines sidewalk riding at $150.
• Mississauga opted in through updates to its Parks, Traffic, and Transit by-laws. The City of Mississauga allows e-scooters on roads posted 50 km/h or under, multi-use trails, and cycling facilities, with some park trails permitted based on posted signage. No sidewalk riding.
• Hamilton regulates personal e-scooter use under By-law 20-269, with e-scooters permitted in designated public spaces and, again, no sidewalks or pedestrian-only areas.
• Toronto, meanwhile, has twice declined to join the pilot. Per the City of Toronto, e-scooters cannot be operated, left, stored, or parked anywhere on public property. Not on roads, sidewalks, bike lanes, cycle tracks, trails, or in parks. The only legal place to ride one is private property, with the owner’s permission.

Whatever your municipality allows, a few rules apply everywhere in Ontario: you must dismount to walk your e-scooter through a crosswalk, stay off 400-series highways and other controlled-access roads, and ride without passengers or cargo. These come from the Highway Traffic Act itself, not municipal bylaws, so they don’t vary by city the way sidewalk and speed rules do.

Enforcement and What Happens After an E-Bike or E-Scooter Accident

As e-bikes, e-scooters and other micromobility devices have become more common, police and municipalities have increased enforcement around how and where they are used.

In August 2026, the Toronto Police Service launched a dedicated micromobility enforcement campaign focused on issues such as illegal sidewalk riding, travelling the wrong way in cycle tracks, prohibited e-scooter use and illegal parking in bike lanes.

Toronto Police reported 514 micromobility-related collisions in 2026 up to that point, including two fatal collisions involving e-scooters.

For riders, these rules matter for more than just avoiding fines. If an e-scooter or bike accident happens, whether you were following the applicable provincial and municipal rules can become relevant when fault and compensation are assessed.

If You’re Hit by a Driver

If a driver negligently hits you while you’re riding an e-bike or e-scooter, you may be able to access Ontario’s Statutory Accident Benefits and, depending on the circumstances, pursue a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver.

Your e-bike’s legal classification also matters. To qualify as a power-assisted bicycle exempt from compulsory automobile insurance, it must meet Ontario’s requirements, including working pedals capable of propelling the bicycle, an electric motor not exceeding 500 watts, a maximum assisted speed of 32 km/h and a maximum weight of 120 kg, including the battery. Removing the pedals, making them inoperable or exceeding the applicable motor-power or assisted-speed limits can put the vehicle outside this exemption. If it is classified as a motor vehicle, insurance, licensing and registration are required for lawful operation on a public road. These requirements arise under the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 1(1), and the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.25, ss. 1(1) and 2(1). Ontario’s e-bike requirements; Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act.

Riding without legally required insurance can also prevent you from recovering compensation through a personal injury lawsuit, even if the other driver caused the collision. Under the Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.8, s. 267.6(1), a person who was contravening s. 2(1) of the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act at the time of the incident is barred from recovering bodily-injury or death damages arising from the automobile’s use or operation. This can apply where you own an e-bike that legally requires automobile insurance and operate it uninsured on a public road. The bar applies even without a charge or conviction: s. 267.6(2). However, not every e-bike rule violation automatically bars a claim; the vehicle’s classification, your ownership or leasing status and the insurance requirements must be assessed. Insurance Act, ss. 267.6(1)–(2).

Ontario’s accident-benefits system changed on July 1, 2026. For policies entered into or renewed on or after that date, medical, rehabilitation and attendant-care benefits remain mandatory, while other accident benefits are optional. The benefits available to you depend on the applicable policy and eligibility requirements. FSRA’s explanation of the changes.

What If You Were Breaking a Rule?

Breaking an e-bike or e-scooter rule does not automatically prevent you from making a claim if someone else was also negligent. However, as explained above, if your e-bike legally qualified as a motor vehicle requiring insurance and you were operating it in breach of the compulsory insurance requirement, you may be barred from recovering personal injury damages from the at-fault party. This depends on the vehicle’s legal classification and your ownership or leasing status.

In other circumstances, including those involving an e-scooter, different considerations may apply. E-scooters are subject to a separate regulatory framework from e-bikes. For example, an e-scooter rider may have been riding somewhere scooters were prohibited, while a driver also failed to yield. Both parties’ conduct, and whether it contributed to the collision or injuries, can be considered when determining responsibility.

If you are found partly responsible for your injuries, Ontario’s contributory negligence rules can reduce your compensation according to your share of fault.

What If an E-Bike or E-Scooter Rider Injures Someone Else?

Riders can also be held responsible when their own negligence causes an accident.

A pedestrian, cyclist or other road user injured by someone riding carelessly may be able to pursue compensation for their injuries and losses.

Examples could include riding at an unsafe speed, failing to yield, ignoring traffic signals, riding while distracted or impaired, or operating the device somewhere it is prohibited.

Know the Rules Before You Ride

E-bikes and e-scooters aren’t going anywhere, and neither is the legal patchwork around them. Whether you’re riding, walking, or driving, a collision involving a micromobility device raises the same questions any other accident does: who was following the rules, who wasn’t, and who bears responsibility for what happened.

With that, enforcement is only increasing, and how you were riding at the time of a crash can directly affect the compensation you’re entitled to or the liability you face.

If you’ve been injured while riding an e-bike or e-scooter, hit by one, or involved in any kind of collision where fault isn’t clear-cut, it’s worth getting advice specific to your situation before dealing with an insurer on your own.

Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers online for a free, no-obligation consultation, or call 1-888-608-2111 today to speak with our team.

We’re here to help.