Are you looking to get around town on an electric scooter? If you live in Québec, you may be wondering if you need a license to do so. The answer is yes, you must have a class 6D driver's license to ride a moped or scooter on public roads. However, if you are over 18 years old, you can ride an electric bicycle without a license. Owning an electric bike in Canada is easy and doesn't require a license plate or insurance.
Electric scooters are classified as electrically assisted bicycles under federal law, and each province and municipality may make minor changes to the laws. For example, the city of Montreal created more than 200 parking spaces specifically for electric scooters shared by companies like Lime and Bird. Electric scooters are much cheaper than traditional bicycles because they don't require gasoline or oil to operate. They are equipped with an electric motor or a combustion engine with a displacement not exceeding 50 cubic centimeters (cc), as well as an automatic transmission.
In Canada, electric scooters are legal to use privately as long as you comply with current laws. Low-speed electric scooters cannot be used on public roads or on bicycle paths that are next to public roads, according to the Quebec Ministry of Transportation. Veteran racer Michael Mili says electric scooters are as safe as their bicycle counterparts, perhaps even safer. Despite growing popularity, low-speed motorized electric foot scooters are illegal on public roads in Quebec, including walkways.
Alex Malenfant has been driving his electric scooter for the past two years and was completely unaware of the laws. However, keep in mind that, like all bike lanes in Quebec, riding an electric scooter is illegal. Electric scooters can be ridden on sidewalks and bike lanes since they don't require any license or registration with the government. So if you're looking for a cheap and convenient way to get around town, an electric scooter may be the perfect option for you - just make sure you have the proper license!.
