With more electric two-wheelers showing up on Richmond roads, dykes, and multi-use paths, Richmond RCMP is asking parents and riders to take a closer look at their e-bikes to ensure compliance with the law.

Many devices marketed and sold as “e-bikes” do not meet the legal definition under B.C. law, and the consequences for getting it wrong can land on the parent, not just the rider.

Richmond RCMP Road Safety Unit has seen a steady increase in calls involving young riders on high-powered electric devices operating at unsafe speeds, on sidewalks, without helmets, and in some cases carrying passengers the device was never designed to hold. Many reports involving e-bikes have involved riders under 16 on machines that are not legally e-bikes at all.

“The bike in your kid’s garage may have been sold to you as an e-bike, but if it can hit 50 or 60 kilometers an hour and the pedals are just for show, it’s a motor vehicle under the law,” says Constable Frank Tarape, Richmond RCMP Road Safety Unit. “That changes who can ride it, where it can be ridden, and who is legally responsible when something goes wrong. We want parents to have that information before there is a collision, not after.”

Richmond’s flat geography and extensive bike and trail network make many micromobility devices increasingly popular amongst residents, commuters, and youth. As a participating community in the Province’s Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Project, Richmond welcomes legal e-bike and e-scooter use but reminds riders that these paths are shared with pedestrians, families with strollers, and slower cyclists. A rider travelling on a multi-use path on an illegal dirt bike poses a real risk of serious injury to themselves and others.

Parents and guardians who knowingly allow an underage youth or child to operate on one of these devices can face fines up to $2,000 under provincial regulations. If the device is classified as a motor vehicle and is involved in a collision, the family may also face uninsured liability, meaning personal financial responsibility for injuries or damages, and additional consequences.

The three categories parents need to understand

Not every electric device on two wheels is the same under the law. The differences come down to motor power, top speed, and whether the pedals work. 

Legal e-bikes are bicycles with a motor that are able to assist pedalling. They have working pedals, a motor capped at 500W (standard) or 250W (light), and stop providing motor assistance at 32 km/h or 25 km/h respectively. Riders must be 16+ for a standard e-bike or 14+ for a light e-bike. A bicycle helmet is required. No license, registration, or insurance is needed. These can be ridden anywhere a regular bicycle is permitted.

E-dirt bikes and high-powered e-bikes/motorcycles, including popular brands sold online or at specialty shops, are not legal e-bikes if they exceed 32 km/h, have a motor over 500W, or lack functioning pedals. Under the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act, these are motor vehicles. Most cannot be registered or insured for road use as they lack a Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) label, which means they are not legal on any Richmond street, sidewalk, bike lane, multi-use path, or dyke trail. Use is restricted to private property with the owner’s permission. Public parks, school fields, and greenways do not qualify as off-road.

E-scooters (electric kick scooters) are legal in Richmond, but only under certain conditions. The City of Richmond is participating in the Province’s Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Project. Riders must be 16 or older, wear a helmet, and cannot carry passengers. E-scooters must only be operated on designated cycling facilities (such as bike lanes), local streets with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less, streets with a maximum speed of 30 km/h, and off-street paved pathways or parks marked for shared-use. E-scooters are not permitted on sidewalks or unpaved trails. Maximum speed is 20 km/h on roadways and 15 km/h on shared pathways, and riders must slow down to a walking pace when passing pedestrians. Provincial fines for dangerous operation can reach up to $2,000, vehicle impound and/or seizure, and Richmond bylaw fines range from $95 to $175.