In April, Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation opened an online feedback portal regarding its new proposed changes to e-bike legislation, pertaining to definitions and regulations.
Among the proposed changes is the creation of two categories for e-bikes, Class 1 or 2, depending on their weight and how they’re powered, with or without a throttle – read more here. It would be up to municipalities to decide where these classes of e-bikes would be allowed to operate.
Current Toronto mayor, Olivia Chow, recently announced her re-election bid for a second term reports CBC – municipal elections are scheduled to be held on October 26, 2026, to elect the mayor and 25 city councillors in Toronto.
Last week on May 20, prior to Chow’s announcement, mayoral candidate and Toronto city councillor, Brad Bradford, put forward an 8-point proposal to crack down on “dangerous e-bikes,” including enforcement, positioning them as a potential issue in the upcoming municipal election also reports CBC.
Chow put forward a member’s motion as well similar to Bradford’s, including calls to prevent uncertified lithium-ion batteries from being sold in Toronto and to look into safe e-bike storage in apartments.
Toronto City Council supported the Ministry’s newly proposed e-bike regulations via Councillor Dianne Saxe here – and the recent motions by Chow and Bradford seek to amend the council’s motion.
With bike lanes also a hot topic in the city, given the pending outcome of the battle between Premier Doug Ford’s government and Cycle Toronto now at the Court of Appeal for Ontario (read more here), it seems likely that e-bikes and bike lanes will be part of the fireworks during the upcoming mayoral election.
Read the full CBC report here.
