The e-bike speed limit in Canada is a limit on the motor's help, not on how fast you ride. In Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, the motor must stop assisting at 32 km/h, or 25 km/h on a B.C. light e-bike. You can pedal faster, but other limits still apply: B.C. and Alberta give e-bike riders a driver's duties, all four provinces ban careless or unsafe riding, and Toronto's parks by-law sets 20 km/h.
Rules checked November 2026 against the official federal, provincial and City of Toronto sources listed at the end. This is general information, not legal advice.
E-bike speed limits in Canada by province
Each province sets its own numbers, and B.C. adds a second, slower class.
| Province | Motor help must stop at | Motor rating | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 32 km/h | 500 W or less | Riding an e-bike |
| Quebec | 32 km/h | 500 W or less | SAAQ |
| British Columbia, standard e-bike | 32 km/h | 500 W continuous, throttle allowed | E-bike regulation, section 3 |
| British Columbia, light e-bike | 25 km/h | 250 W continuous, no throttle | E-bike regulation, section 6 |
| Alberta | 32 km/h on level ground | 500 W or less | Rules of the road (former federal definition) |
Other provinces and territories are not covered here yet; check your provincial or territorial transportation department. Our guide to e-bike laws in Canada by province covers ages, helmets and where you may ride. We also have full guides to e-bike laws in Ontario, BC e-bike laws and e-bike laws in Alberta.
Why the same 32 km/h shows up in all four provinces
Transport Canada says the federal power-assisted bicycle definition is "no longer in force" as of February 4, 2021, and the Canada Gazette publication of that repeal (SOR/2020-22) says these vehicles "will now fall under provincial or territorial jurisdictions". Ontario's Highway Traffic Act and Alberta's road rules still point to the old definition. It ended motor help "when the bicycle attains a speed of 32 km/h on level ground", as Alberta Transportation quotes it.
Ontario's 2026 proposal keeps 32 km/h
Ontario's April 23, 2026 proposal (ERO 026-0422) would redefine e-bikes as two classes. Its summary table gives both a "Maximum Power-Assisted Speed" of 32 km/h and motors rated at 500 W or less, and Class 1 would allow walk assist up to 6 km/h. Comments closed June 7, 2026, and on November 1, 2026 the notice was still a proposal.
What the e-bike speed limit covers, and what it doesn't
The cut-off limits the motor, measured on flat ground. Ontario lists "a maximum assisted speed of 32 km/h", and B.C. measures it on "a clean, paved and level surface". The SAAQ adds: "This speed can only be exceeded through the cyclist's muscle power on a flat surface".
Can you ride faster than 32 km/h?
Yes, on your own power or downhill, once the motor stops helping. The rules below on posted signs, park paths and safe speeds still apply when you do.
Throttles and when the motor must stop
Ontario's e-bike regulation says the motor "must cease to propel the bicycle forward if pedalling stops, the accelerator is released or the brakes are applied". In B.C., a light e-bike can't have a throttle, so its motor helps only while you pedal. A B.C. standard e-bike with a throttle needs a separate on-off switch, or a mechanism that keeps the motors off below 3 km/h.
Do e-bikes have to follow speed limits?
It depends on each province's wording, and all four ban careless or unsafe riding.
| Province | Posted speed limits | Careless or unsafe riding | Also watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Section 128 limits are written for motor vehicles, a term the Highway Traffic Act says excludes power-assisted bicycles; section 182 says every driver or operator of a vehicle must obey the instructions on posted signs | Careless driving (section 130) covers anyone driving a vehicle, and the Act counts e-bikes as vehicles | Slower traffic keeps right (section 147); city by-laws, such as 20 km/h in Toronto parks |
| Quebec | Section 328 limits are written for road vehicles, a term the Highway Safety Code says excludes power-assisted bicycles; section 310 says "every person must comply with every road or traffic sign or signal erected under this Code" | Section 327 bans "any rate of speed or any action that can endanger human life and safety or property"; the SAAQ says to ride "at a reasonable speed" | No highways or their access and exit ramps |
| British Columbia | Riders have "the same rights and duties as a driver of a vehicle" (Motor Vehicle Act, section 183); the province says cyclists "must obey traffic signs and lights" | Section 183 bans riding "without due care and attention" | Signed 30 km/h school and playground zones (section 147); municipal path rules |
| Alberta | Cycle riders carry "all the duties of a person driving a motor vehicle" (rules of the road, section 75), and the Traffic Safety Act bans driving any vehicle over the limit (section 115) | No speed "unreasonable having regard to all the circumstances", even under the limit (rules of the road, section 2); careless driving (section 115) | 30 km/h school and playground zones (section 107) |
In Ontario and Quebec, the numbered limits are written for motor vehicles and road vehicles. Both laws still reach e-bike riders: each makes riders obey posted signs, and Ontario's careless driving offence and Quebec's ban on dangerous speeds apply. Ontario's cycling guide says to "adjust your speed to road and traffic conditions", and the City of Toronto says e-bike riders must follow "the same rules of the road as those that apply to regular cyclists and to motorists".
B.C. and Alberta write cyclists, e-bike riders included, into the driver's rules. Signed 30 km/h school and playground zones are the everyday case. In B.C., school zones apply on school days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or longer signed hours, and playground zones from dawn to dusk.
Speed limits on park paths and trails
Toronto's parks by-law sets a 20 km/h maximum for "vehicles, motorized recreational vehicles, bicycles and personally powered devices in a park". The City counts the Waterfront, Don Valley and Humber multi-use paths, the West Toronto Railpath and the Hydro Corridor trails as park paths, closed to e-bikes over 40 kg or that don't require muscular power.
Outside Toronto, check local rules. B.C. says some municipalities set their own rules for shared-use paths, and Ontario's page rules out bike paths, trails and lanes "where e-bikes are prohibited". Transport Canada's advice is to "check with your local government".
Unlocking or removing a speed limiter
Ontario is direct: "It is also illegal to modify your e-bike's electric motor to make it more powerful or to increase the assisted speed of the bike". Its e-bike regulation adds that a bike modified in any way that may push its power or maximum speed past the e-bike limits "must not be ridden on, driven or operated".
In B.C., a bike whose motors can propel it past 32 km/h on level pavement isn't an e-bike under the regulation. The province says a motorized cycle that misses any e-bike requirement may be illegal on public roads, or may need a licence, registration and insurance. At import, Transport Canada judges a speed-limited e-bike by "the untethered speed capacity of the vehicle", and accepts the limit only case by case, where the limiter is "highly impractical to remove".
On a spec sheet, a listed top speed above 32 km/h, or a limiter described as unlockable, is a sign the bike can assist past the cut-off. Bikes rated above 500 W or assisting past 32 km/h fall outside the provincial e-bike rules, which our e-bike rules by province page sets out. Compare motor ratings and top speeds across our full e-bike lineup, and contact us if a listing leaves the cut-off out.
How mopeds compare
The SAAQ says Quebec mopeds and scooters are motor vehicles with a maximum speed of 70 km/h or less, and they must be registered. Ontario's moped can't have the power to pass 50 km/h on level ground within 2 km of a standing start. See the fastest e-bikes we carry and what changes above 32 km/h.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an e-bike speed limit in Canada?
Yes, on the motor. It must stop helping at 32 km/h in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta and on B.C. standard e-bikes, and at 25 km/h on B.C. light e-bikes. Other provinces and territories are not covered here yet; check your provincial or territorial transportation department.
Do e-bikes have to follow speed limits?
In B.C. and Alberta, yes: both give cyclists, e-bike riders included, a driver's duties, and Alberta's speeding ban covers any vehicle. In Ontario and Quebec, the numbered limits are written for motor vehicles and road vehicles, but riders must obey posted signs, and Ontario's careless driving offence and Quebec's ban on dangerous speeds apply. Cities can add limits, such as 20 km/h in Toronto parks.
How fast can an e-bike go in Ontario?
The motor can assist up to 32 km/h and must be rated at no more than 500 W. You can go faster on your own power or downhill, but you must obey posted signs, careless driving rules apply, and Toronto parks have a 20 km/h limit. Ontario's 2026 proposal keeps 32 km/h and was still a proposal on November 1, 2026.
Is it legal to remove an e-bike speed limiter?
Not in Ontario, which makes it illegal to modify the motor to increase the assisted speed. In B.C., a bike whose motor can assist past 32 km/h is outside the e-bike classes. At import, Transport Canada judges a speed-limited bike by its untethered speed.
Sources
- Transport Canada: Importing non-regulated vehicles
- Canada Gazette, Part II: SOR/2020-22 (February 19, 2020)
- Government of Ontario: Riding an e-bike (updated July 19, 2024)
- Ontario Highway Traffic Act (consolidated from July 1, 2026)
- Ontario Regulation 369/09, Power-Assisted Bicycles (consolidated from December 6, 2018)
- Ontario: Cycling Skills guide (PDF; web page updated March 19, 2026)
- Ontario ERO 026-0422 and its additional details summary (posted April 23, 2026)
- SAAQ: On an electric bike (updated May 25, 2026)
- Quebec Highway Safety Code, CQLR c. C-24.2 (up to date to October 15, 2026)
- Government of B.C.: E-bike requirements (updated November 4, 2025)
- B.C. Reg. 64/2024, Motor Assisted Cycle (E-Bike) Regulation (current to October 27, 2026)
- B.C. Motor Vehicle Act, Part 3 (current to October 27, 2026)
- Alberta Traffic Safety Act (current as of July 2, 2026)
- Alberta Regulation 304/2002, Use of Highway and Rules of the Road (current as of August 8, 2025)
- Alberta Transportation: Rules and Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles (updated November 2018)
- City of Toronto: Electric bicycles (updated July 30, 2026)
- Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 608, Parks (June 3, 2024)
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