Cargo E-Bikes in Canada: Types, Load Ratings and Carrying Kids

October 22, 2026

Rider loading a crate of vegetables onto a cargo e-bike beside a cargo trike at a market garden

A cargo e-bike is an e-bike built to carry more than its rider: groceries, gear and, on some models, a passenger. Before you buy, check three brand figures: the total max load, the rack or basket rating, and whether the brand designs the bike for a passenger. In Ontario, Quebec, B.C. and Alberta, a passenger may ride only on a bike built or equipped for one.

Rules checked October 2026 and brand figures checked October 22, 2026 (sources at the end). This is general information, not legal advice.

Types of cargo e-bike

The cargo models we sell fall into two groups: two-wheelers with a heavy-duty rear rack, and trikes with baskets.

Type	Example	Brand load figures	Plus	Minus
Utility e-bike with a heavy-duty rack	Velotric GoMad	Rear rack about 80 kg; 227 kg total, bike included	Passenger kits sold by the brand	Relies on a kickstand while you load; the Young Passenger Kit adds a dual kickstand
Delivery-style e-bike	Movin' Pulse	Rear rack up to 50 kg	500 W motor, 32 km/h, hydraulic brakes	No total max load stated
Cargo trike	Velotric Triker, Meet One Breeze 2.0	Rear basket 54 kg (Triker); 45 kg rear and 18.1 kg front (Breeze 2.0)	Stays upright while you load; both list a parking brake	Wider, and Velotric advises slowing down before turns

For a closer look at three-wheel models, see our electric trikes collection.

How to read cargo load ratings

Three numbers matter, and they are not the same thing. The max load is everything the bike may carry, the rack or basket rating is what that part may hold, and any passenger needs equipment the brand designs for one.

Total max load: Velotric's FAQ says the GoMad's 227 kg total "includes the combined weight of the bike, rider, cargo, and any passenger". For the Triker, Velotric says its 227 kg covers rider and cargo.
Rack or basket rating: about 80 kg for the GoMad's rear rack, which Velotric says is built for passengers, kids, gear and errands. The Triker's basket takes 54 kg and the Pulse's rear rack 50 kg.
Passenger equipment: Velotric sells a Passenger Kit and a Young Passenger Kit for the GoMad as optional accessories.

Worked example, not a measurement: an 80 kg rider, a 25 kg child and 15 kg of groceries come to 120 kg, or 155 kg with the GoMad's 35 kg, under its 227 kg total. With the child and groceries both on the rear rack, that rack carries 40 kg of its 80 kg rating.

Can you carry a child or passenger on an e-bike?

Only on an e-bike that is built or equipped for a passenger, and each province words the rule differently:

Ontario: the Highway Traffic Act counts e-bikes as bicycles and bars carrying another person on a bicycle designed for one person only (s. 178(2)). The April 2026 proposal (ERO 026-0422) would allow passengers of any age where a seat is available; in October 2026 it was still a proposal.
Quebec: the Highway Safety Code defines an e-bike as a bicycle with an electric motor, and no cyclist may take a passenger unless the bike has a fixed seat for that purpose (s. 485).
British Columbia: you must not carry a passenger unless the e-bike is designed and equipped for it, and a rider under 16 can't carry passengers on a light e-bike. The Motor Vehicle Act also requires a bicycle helmet for anyone riding as a passenger on a cycle, a term that includes e-bikes.
Alberta: riders may not carry more people than the cycle is designed and equipped for, and a passenger must sit on a seat designed for one with both feet on the footrests. Riders under 16 can't carry passengers on a power bicycle.

Other provinces and territories are not covered here yet, so check your provincial or territorial transportation department. Our e-bike laws page has the full rules for the four provinces above.

Ontario's cargo e-bike pilot

Ontario also runs a pilot for larger cargo e-bikes under O. Reg. 141/21: bikes over 55 kg, up to 1.3 m wide and 4 m long, with a motor of up to 1,000 W that stops helping at 32 km/h. On municipal roads, they may ride only where a by-law allows them. Everyone on board must wear a helmet, and passengers may ride only on a bike manufactured to carry them.

Setting up for a passenger

Use the brand's passenger parts: Velotric's Young Passenger Kit for the GoMad includes a passenger handrail, wheel guards, a dual kickstand, passenger foot pegs and a seat pad.
Helmets for everyone: B.C. requires them for passengers, Ontario's cargo pilot requires them for everyone on board, and Ontario's 2026 proposal would require them for all riders.
Practise with the weight: Ontario's cycling guide advises getting familiar with an e-bike's extra power and weight in a calm, safe place before riding in traffic.
Secure every load: Ontario's pilot rule says a load must be bound, contained or covered so no part can fall or blow off, a good habit on any cargo bike.
Park steady: Meet One says the Breeze 2.0's parking brake keeps the trike stopped while you park or load it.

What to check before you buy

Total max load, and whether the brand counts the bike's own weight in it.
Rack or basket rating for the load you'll carry most often.
Passenger design: whether the brand builds the bike for a passenger, and which seat, footrests and guards it specifies.
Brakes: the GoMad lists Tektro hydraulic discs with a 203 mm front rotor, and the Pulse lists Tektro hydraulic discs too.
Motor rating: Ontario's e-bike limit is 500 W, and the GoMad and Triker list 750 W motors.
Range with a load: more weight takes more energy, so size the battery with our battery range guide. For hilly routes, our hub motor vs mid-drive guide compares how each motor climbs.
Size: the GoMad is 1,811 mm long, and the Triker's rear wheels sit on a 725 mm track, so measure gates, doorways and paths.

Cargo e-bikes and trikes we sell

Selection: in-stock models from our cargo collection with a motor rated 750 W or less whose brand states a rack or basket rating, checked October 22, 2026. Not a ranking; every figure is the brand's own.

Model	Type	Rack or basket	Max load	Motor
Velotric GoMad	Two-wheel utility, 20-inch fat tires	Rear rack about 80 kg	227 kg, bike included	750 W rear hub
Movin' Pulse	Two-wheel delivery, 20-inch fat tires	Rear rack up to 50 kg	Not stated	500 W rear hub
Velotric Triker	Upright trike	Rear basket 54 kg	227 kg, rider and cargo	750 W rear hub
Meet One Breeze 2.0	Semi-recumbent trike, folding	45 kg rear, 18.1 kg front	204 kg	500 W
Meet One Breeze Pro 2.0	Semi-recumbent trike, full suspension	45 kg rear, 18.1 kg front	204 kg	500 W

The GoMad's page lists passenger kits. Movin' says the Pulse's rack can carry small passengers or pets with seats, but names no seat or kit, so ask before you plan on it. We sell bikes rated above 500 W for private-property use only; each product page shows the motor rating.

Frequently asked questions

Can you carry a child on an e-bike in Canada?

In Ontario, Quebec, B.C. and Alberta, only on an e-bike built or equipped for a passenger, such as one with a passenger seat the brand designs for it. B.C. also requires passengers to wear a bicycle helmet. Ontario's 2026 proposal would allow passengers of any age with a seat, but it was still a proposal in October 2026.

What is a cargo e-bike?

An e-bike designed to carry loads, with a heavy-duty rack, baskets or a platform, and sometimes passenger kits. Ontario's pilot regulation describes a cargo e-bike as one with a platform, basket or container for carrying cargo, parcels or goods.

How much weight can a cargo e-bike carry?

It depends on the brand's ratings. Four of the five models above list 204 to 227 kg in total, and all five list 45 to 80 kg on the main rack or basket. Check whether the total includes the bike: on the GoMad it does.

Are cargo e-bikes legal in Ontario?

A cargo e-bike that meets Ontario's e-bike requirements, including 500 W, 32 km/h of motor help and a 120 kg maximum weight, follows the normal e-bike rules. Ontario's pilot adds rules for cargo e-bikes over 55 kg with motors up to 1,000 W, which may ride on municipal roads only where a by-law allows them.