Full Breakdown
Canadian E-bike and E-scooter Sales Outpace Safety Rules, Prompting Calls for Stronger Regulation
By Drooid · · How we work
Investigation Finds Widespread Sale of Over-Speed Vehicles
Marketplace’s undercover test of 12 major retailers in the Greater Toronto Area revealed that most stores stocked e-bikes or e-scooters capable of exceeding Ontario’s legal limits (24 km/h for scooters, 32 km/h for bikes). Salespeople at six locations demonstrated how to bypass built-in speed limiters, and two stores offered devices that could reach 120 km/h or be modified to 150 km/h. A salesperson at an Amego outlet even unlocked a bike to show a top speed of roughly 50 km/h. While retailers claim they provide product information, the investigation shows a gap between advertised capabilities and provincial road rules.
Injuries and Sales Surge Across Canada
Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information show 150 children <= 15 were hospitalized after e-scooter falls in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, up from 54 the previous year—a rise of about 178 %. Head injuries climbed from 50 to 157 in the same period, and fractures, dislocations, and soft-tissue injuries more than doubled to 544 cases. The Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program reported 10 child deaths linked to e-bikes or e-scooters in 2025. Sales have exploded, with Statista estimating roughly 372,000 e-bikes and 76,000 e-scooters sold so far this year, a more-than-four-fold increase since 2019.
Official Responses from Government and Retailers
Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said in a late-September interview that the federal government is listening to injury reports and will discuss possible safety measures with provincial counterparts, noting that most regulation currently sits with provinces and municipalities. Best Buy, Canadian Tire, Emmo and other retailers emphasized that customers must follow local laws and that product specifications are regularly updated, though Costco declined comment.
Safety Advocates Decry the Market Gap
Michael Pasquali, founder of the Canadian Electric Bicycle Association, called the situation “heartbreaking” and condemned the practice of showing consumers how to override speed limits as “extremely unethical.” “It's not just a toy; it's a motorized vehicle,” — April Kam, an emergency physician at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton April Kam, an emergency physician at McMaster Children’s Hospital, warned that children lack the developmental ability to safely operate these motorized devices. “I can't remember nothing in my whole life,” — Jayden King
Push for Nationwide Rules and Enforcement
Parents of injured riders, such as Amy Richards of St. John’s, are urging provincial and federal authorities to establish a uniform minimum age of 16 and enforce speed caps. Newfoundland and Labrador’s government has indicated it is reviewing its Highway Traffic Act to include micro-mobility devices. Pasquali and other safety groups argue that federal action is needed to curb the sale and importation of easily modifiable e-bikes and e-scooters, aiming to align product availability with existing road safety standards.