Quick answer: There is no single Canadian e-scooter law. Each province sets its own rules, and in several provinces your city must also opt in. Ontario and British Columbia run pilot programmes where riders must be at least 16. Quebec allows e-scooters under a pilot from age 14 on roads posted 50 km/h or less. Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan let municipalities allow them by bylaw. In Alberta, privately owned e-scooters generally cannot be ridden in public without a provincial exemption. Checked September 2026.
Canada’s e-scooter rules are a patchwork. Road rules are set by provinces and territories, and many of them hand the final say on where you can ride to municipalities. This guide sets out the main rules province by province, based on official government pages, and tells you where to check for your own town.
Province-by-province summary
| Province | Status | Minimum age | Speed | Helmet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Pilot to 27 November 2029; only in municipalities that pass a bylaw | 16 | Device max 24 km/h | Required under 18 |
| British Columbia | Four-year pilot launched 5 April 2024; participating communities only | 16 | Device max 25 km/h | Required |
| Quebec | Pilot project; roads posted 50 km/h or less | 14 | 25 km/h max | Required |
| Alberta | Private e-scooters not allowed without a provincial exemption; shared schemes in some cities | Check with Alberta Transportation | Check locally | Check locally |
| Nova Scotia | Allowed where municipal bylaws permit | 14 | Provincial max 32 km/h; municipalities can set lower | Required |
| Saskatchewan | Allowed only where a municipality passes a bylaw | 16 | Device max 24 km/h; roads 50 km/h or less | Required |
| Manitoba | New law (Bill 43) passed June 2026 but not yet proclaimed at last report | Check with Manitoba Transportation | Check | Check |
| Other provinces and territories | Not covered in this guide | Check with the provincial or territorial transport ministry | ||
Ontario
Ontario runs a provincial e-scooter pilot that “allows municipalities to choose where and how e-scooters may be used.” The Ontario government says the pilot runs from 1 January 2020 to 27 November 2029. E-scooters are only legal in municipalities that have passed a bylaw to allow them, so check with your city first.
Device rules
- maximum speed of 24 km/h on a level surface
- maximum weight of 45 kg
- maximum power output of 500 watts
- two wheels and brakes, and a horn or bell
- at least one white light on the front, one red light on the rear and reflective material on the sides
- maximum wheel diameter of 17 inches
- no pedals, no seat and no basket
Rider rules
- be at least 16 years old
- remain standing while riding
- wear a bicycle helmet if you are under 18
- no passengers or cargo
- no riding on controlled-access highways such as 400-series highways and the QEW
Highway Traffic Act rules of the road apply, as they do for bicycles. The province says penalties for breaking the pilot regulation range from $250 to $2,500. Municipalities decide where e-scooters can be ridden (for example roads, bike paths or trails), where they can park and whether insurance is required. If you are in a collision that causes injury or damage, you must report it to police.
British Columbia
British Columbia tested e-scooters from 2021 to 2024 and launched a new four-year pilot on 5 April 2024 under the Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Project Regulation. E-scooters can be used on public roads only in participating communities. The province lists 40 of them (as of September 2026), including Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops, Nanaimo and Prince George. Limited riding in cycle lanes is also allowed on certain highways outside municipal boundaries.
Device rules
- handlebars and a standing platform, with no seat
- wheels no more than 430 mm in diameter
- electric motor rated at no more than 500 watts continuous
- weight no more than 45 kg
- maximum speed capability of 25 km/h on level ground
- brakes that can stop the scooter from top speed within 7.5 metres
- a bell or horn, and front and rear lights for use between sunset and sunrise
Rider rules
- be 16 or older; parents must not let under-16s ride
- wear an approved safety helmet
- no licence or insurance is required
- on roads with speed limits up to 50 km/h, use a cycle lane if there is one or keep as far right as is safe
- on roads with speed limits over 50 km/h, ride only in a designated cycling lane
- no riding on sidewalks or in crosswalks unless a sign allows it
- no passengers, no riding side by side except to pass, and no riding impaired or while using a phone
BC says breaking these rules can bring a $109 fine, impoundment of the device, or other penalties of up to $2,000.
Quebec
Quebec runs a pilot project on motorised personal mobility devices (MPMDs), which include e-scooters and electric unicycles. The Quebec government says these devices “may be used on roads with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less, and on bikeways located along those roads.” A regional news report says the government has extended the pilot to 20 July 2028; confirm the current end date with the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable.
- Age: at least 14, and you must carry a document that proves your age
- Helmet: required, correctly adjusted and fastened
- Speed: maximum 25 km/h at all times
- Device: no more than 36 kg, wheels at least 190 mm, motor cut-off at 25 km/h, a brake on each wheel and (except unicycles) two braking systems, one of them mechanical
- Lights and reflectors: white at the front, red at the rear and sides; lights on at night
- Not allowed: headphones, passengers, pulling a trailer, riding on roads posted over 50 km/h, or using a phone or screen (with limited exceptions)
- Sidewalks: do not use them except in exceptional circumstances
Municipalities can ban MPMDs on particular roads or bikeways with signs. Quebec says fines range from $100 to $200 depending on the offence.
Alberta
According to CBC News reporting in September 2026, the Traffic Safety Act was adjusted in 2019 to allow Calgary and Edmonton to run shared e-scooter programmes, but “if an individual owns that type of vehicle, they can’t legally ride it without an exemption from the provincial government.” The province has said it is considering changes that would let municipalities allow personal e-scooters, but no new law was in place when we checked.
Shared scooters are allowed in some cities. The City of Calgary says shared e-scooters can be ridden city-wide on bicycle lanes, pathways, empty sidewalks and lower-speed, lower-traffic roads, but not on busier roads such as Macleod Trail. For rules on your own scooter, check with Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia amended its Motor Vehicle Act in 2022 to allow e-scooters on municipal roads. The province set a minimum age of 14, a maximum permitted speed of 32 km/h and helmet requirements, and left municipalities to decide whether e-scooters are allowed on roads, sidewalks or shared sidewalks, and to set lower speed limits.
For example, Halifax’s Micromobility By-law M-300 (in force since 15 July 2023) allows e-scooters on roads with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less, in bicycle lanes and on multi-use pathways within streets. It sets limits of 25 km/h on roads and bike lanes and 15 km/h on multi-use pathways, and bans sidewalk riding. Check your own municipality’s bylaw.
Saskatchewan
CBC News reported in 2022 that SGI changed the regulations so municipalities can allow e-scooters by bylaw. Any bylaw must restrict riders to streets with a 50 km/h speed limit, riders must be at least 16 and wear a helmet, and e-scooters are limited to 24 km/h. Where a municipality has not passed a bylaw, e-scooters are barred from public roads. Sidewalk and path rules are up to each municipality. Check with SGI and your city.
Manitoba
Manitoba passed Bill 43, The Highway Traffic Amendment and Drivers and Vehicles Amendment Act, on 1 June 2026. CBC News reported that it sets a framework for personal electric vehicles on public roads, including minimum ages and maximum speeds, but had “yet to be proclaimed into law”, with the province still working on regulations. Some towns, such as Morden, have already updated their bylaws. Check with Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure and your municipality before riding.
Other provinces and territories
We have not verified the current rules for New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut for this guide. Check with the relevant provincial or territorial transport department before riding in public.
Where to check the law
This guide was checked in September 2026. The official places to check are ontario.ca (Ministry of Transportation), gov.bc.ca (Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Project), quebec.ca (Transports et Mobilité durable), and your municipality’s website, which will tell you whether your city has opted in and where you can ride.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between provinces and municipalities and can change quickly. For advice about your own situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or the relevant authority.
Sources
- Ontario: Electric kick-style scooters (e-scooters) (ontario.ca)
- British Columbia: Electric kick scooter rules and safety (www2.gov.bc.ca)
- British Columbia: Electric kick scooter pilot project (gov.bc.ca)
- Quebec: Rules for using electric scooters and other motorized personal mobility devices (quebec.ca)
- Quebec: Le projet pilote se poursuit (13 May 2024) (quebec.ca)
- Vingt55: Quebec extends the pilot project (news report) (vingt55.ca)
- CBC News: Alberta government mulling regulations around micromobility vehicles (cbc.ca)
- City of Calgary: Shared micromobility programme (calgary.ca)
- Nova Scotia: Amendments to Motor Vehicle Act (5 April 2022) (news.novascotia.ca)
- Halifax: E-scooters (halifax.ca)
- CBC News: SGI changes regulations to allow e-scooters on roads (cbc.ca)
- CBC News: Manitoba city sets laws for e-scooters, e-bikes (cbc.ca)