Rules and Safety

Alberta’s power bicycle rules

In Alberta, an e-bike that meets the provincial criteria is called a power bicycle. If it meets them, you don’t need a driver’s licence, registration or insurance to ride it. If it doesn’t, it isn’t a power bicycle, and different rules apply.

The province’s small vehicles guide sets out the criteria. A power bicycle:

• has steering handlebars and is equipped with pedals;
• is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground;
• is capable of being propelled by muscular power;
• has one or more electric motors with a total continuous power output rating, measured at the shaft of each motor, of 500 W or less;
• stops providing assistance when you stop pedalling, or, if it has an accelerator (throttle), stops as soon as the brakes are applied;
• can’t provide further assistance once it reaches 32 km/h on level ground;
• has either an on-off switch for the motor that’s separate from the throttle, or a mechanism that stops the motor engaging before the bike reaches 3 km/h;
• bears a label permanently fixed by the manufacturer.

Throttles, trikes and bikes that don’t qualify

Throttles

A throttle is allowed under the provincial criteria, as long as assistance stops immediately when the brakes are applied and the bike meets every other criterion. But many trails, pathways and parks set their own rules, and some allow only pedal-assist e-bikes. Check before you ride somewhere new.

Trikes

Because the criteria allow up to three wheels, an electric tricycle or recumbent trike can qualify as a power bicycle, as long as it meets the motor, speed and other requirements. A four-wheeled pedal car with a motor cannot.

Bikes that don’t qualify

An electric bike with a bigger motor, a higher assisted speed, no working pedals, or no manufacturer’s label is not a power bicycle under these rules. Depending on its design, it may be treated as a moped or another kind of motor vehicle, with licence, registration and insurance requirements, or as an off-highway vehicle that can’t be ridden on public roads and pathways at all. If you’re unsure, ask a registry agent or check with the province before buying.

Modifying an e-bike

Changing the motor, controller, battery or software to go faster or harder can take a bike outside the power bicycle criteria. Health Canada and Transport Canada also warn that modifying batteries, or adding batteries to increase voltage or capacity, can be extremely dangerous.

Why the rules point to a federal definition

For many years, the definition of a “power-assisted bicycle” was in the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations, and Alberta’s rules used that definition. That’s why the province’s guide quotes it.

In 2020, the federal government amended its regulations to repeal the power-assisted bicycle definition, and the change took effect in 2021. The federal explanation was that vehicles such as power-assisted bicycles and scooters would now fall under provincial and territorial jurisdiction, in line with the United States.

Alberta’s published criteria haven’t changed since, and they’re still what the province uses. But this gap is one reason the province is reviewing its rules. Transport Canada now simply advises that e-bike use may be controlled in certain areas and to check with your local government.

Rules of the road for every cyclist

On the road, a cyclist has the same responsibilities as a driver and follows the same traffic laws. The essentials:

• Ride as far right as practicable, except when turning left or avoiding hazards. The Lethbridge Cycling Handbook notes you may take the lane to avoid hazards.
• Ride single file unless signs say otherwise.
• Signal your turns and stops with your left arm: straight out for a left turn, bent up at the elbow for a right turn, bent down for slowing or stopping.
• Stay out of the door zone, about a metre beside parked cars.
• Sidewalks. The province says that unless a sidewalk is signed as shared-use, only bicycles with wheels under 50 cm in diameter (typically children’s bikes) may ride on it, which rules out most e-bikes. Cities can add their own sidewalk rules, so check Lethbridge’s Bicycle Bylaw or call 311. Give pedestrians the right of way and keep to a safe speed.
• Leaving a pathway. The City’s handbook reminds riders that you don’t have the right of way when you leave a pathway at a crosswalk, and recommends dismounting and walking across.
• Bike boxes at some intersections let cyclists wait ahead of cars. Stop on the green box to trigger the signal.
• Bike lanes are for cyclists, not other vehicles.

City of Lethbridge rules

The City’s current Bicycle Bylaw is Bylaw 6427, which came into effect on January 1, 2025. According to the City’s announcement, the updated bylaw:

• includes e-bikes in the definition of a bicycle, so the bylaw applies to both;
• adds wording on the use of multi-use pathways, including that cyclists must yield to pedestrians;
• adds rules for managing bicycle lanes;
• removes the old requirement for bicycle licence plates;
• allows the City or Lethbridge Police Service to remove bicycles abandoned on public property for more than 72 hours;
• updates penalties to better reflect the cost of enforcement.

We haven’t reproduced the full bylaw or its fines here. Read the bylaw on the City’s Bicycle Bylaw page, or call 311.

On City trails and in the river valley

The City’s trail guidance for cyclists:

• Wear a helmet and use a bell.
• Cyclists yield to pedestrians.
• Yield the right of way to cyclists and runners travelling uphill.
• Stay to the right of the pathway.
• Cyclists are not permitted in dog parks.
• In the Lethbridge Nature Reserve, home of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre, bikes are allowed only when passing through on the paved path. In the Elizabeth Hall Wetlands, bikes may use only the west path closest to the golf course, as a direct route to Bull Trail Park or Highway 3. The City’s pathway map also marks some preservation areas as closed to bikes.
• Stay off coulee trails when wet, and travel single file on single track.
• Report trail problems to 311.

Pathway etiquette

Lethbridge pathways are shared by walkers, runners, dog walkers, strollers, wheelchairs, scooters and cyclists of every speed. Most conflicts come from speed and surprise.

1. Keep right, and pass on the left.
2. Ring before you pass. Alberta says cyclists passing pedestrians on shared-use pathways must sound a warning device, such as a bell or horn. Ring early, from a distance, not right behind someone. The City’s trail tips put it simply: bells and yells help others know you’re approaching. A friendly “on your left” helps too.
3. Slow down to pass, and give plenty of room. Many people walking wear earbuds, and dogs and small children move unpredictably.
4. E-bikes: ride at pathway speed, not motor speed. Just because the motor will help you to 32 km/h doesn’t mean that’s a safe speed on a busy pathway.
5. Stop off to the side, not in the middle of the path.
6. Uphill traffic has the right of way on City trails.
7. At night, dip a very bright headlight so it doesn’t dazzle oncoming people.
8. Leave no trace. Pack out what you pack in.

Lights and visibility

Alberta requires a bicycle ridden at night to have:

• a white front headlamp (non-flashing);
• a red tail lamp (non-flashing);
• a red rear reflector.

The City’s handbook applies the same lights when riding in fog, rain or at dusk, and the province notes reflective material is required when riding after dark. Many riders also run lights in daytime, which makes a big difference on grey winter days and in low sun.

• Be seen from the side, with reflective tires, pedals or ankle bands. Moving reflectors on your feet catch drivers’ eyes.
• Wear bright colours. The province suggests high-visibility orange, yellow and white.
• Low riders on recumbents and trikes benefit from a tall flag and a light mounted as high as possible.
• Carry a backup light on an e-bike whose lights run off the main battery.
• Fit a bell or horn. Alberta requires every bicycle and power bicycle to have one, and you must sound it before passing pedestrians on shared-use pathways.

Helmets, and kids

• Bicycles: in Alberta, cyclists and passengers under 18 must wear an approved bicycle helmet. Alberta says helmets meeting ANSI, Snell or CSA standards are approved. Children in bike trailers and on trail-a-bikes must also wear one. Adults are encouraged to wear helmets too.
• Power bicycles (e-bikes): a helmet is required for every rider and passenger, whatever their age. Alberta’s cycling safety page says power bicycle riders can choose a bicycle helmet instead of a motorcycle helmet, but that option rests on a 2018 exemption we couldn’t confirm is still in force. Check alberta.ca or ask a registry agent which helmet types are currently accepted.
• Why it matters: Parachute, Canada’s national injury prevention charity, reports that bicycle helmets reduce head injuries by more than 40 per cent.
• Replace your helmet after any crash in which you hit your head, even if it looks fine, and after about five years, as Parachute recommends.

Teaching kids to ride safely

• Start on quiet paved pathways like the Henderson Lake loop, away from traffic.
• Do an ABC check together before each ride.
• Teach “keep right, ring before you pass, and stop at the edge”.
• Children under 12 can’t ride a power bicycle in Alberta, and many e-bike makers set higher age limits in their manuals. Follow both.

Parks, trails and e-scooters

• National and provincial parks set their own rules for bikes and e-bikes, and they differ from park to park and trail to trail. Some allow only pedal-assist e-bikes on certain trails. Check the park’s current rules before you load up the bikes for a camping trip.
• E-scooters are not power bicycles. They don’t have pedals, so the power bicycle rules don’t cover them. In 2026 the province said it was considering a framework for personal micromobility devices; until then, check the rules for where you plan to ride. Lethbridge’s bylaw lets the City grant exemptions, for example to let shared e-scooter services use bicycle lanes.

Sources

• Government of Alberta, Rules and Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles (updated November 2018): power bicycle criteria, age and consent, helmets, passengers, equipment: transportation.alberta.ca (PDF)
• Government of Alberta, Cycling safety equipment (helmets, lights, warning devices): alberta.ca/safety-equipment
• Government of Alberta, Cycling paths and visibility (sidewalks, shared pathways, signals, door zone): alberta.ca/paths-and-visibility
• Alberta Traffic Safety Act, RSA 2000, c. T-6: kings-printer.alberta.ca (PDF)
• Alberta Vehicle Equipment Regulation, AR 122/2009 (helmets and equipment): kings-printer.alberta.ca (PDF)
• Alberta Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation, AR 304/2002: kings-printer.alberta.ca (PDF)
• Alberta Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation, AR 320/2002: kings-printer.alberta.ca (PDF)
• City of Calgary, Cycling bylaws and safety tips (summary of provincial helmet, light and bell rules): calgary.ca
• Canada Gazette, Part II, SOR/2020-22, Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (repeal of the power-assisted bicycle definition): gazette.gc.ca
• Transport Canada, Importing non-regulated vehicles: tc.canada.ca
• LiveWire Calgary, “Rule changes are being explored as e-scooter, power bike use jumps” (July 7, 2026): livewirecalgary.com
• Calgary Sun (via Yahoo News Canada), “Bell: New Alberta rules coming for e-scooters, e-bikes” (September 25, 2026), a preview of proposed changes, not yet law: ca.news.yahoo.com
• City of Lethbridge, “Council approves updated Bicycle Bylaw” (November 12, 2024): lethbridge.ca; Bicycle Bylaw 6427: lethbridge.ca
• City of Lethbridge, “Unregulated electric motorbikes threaten safety and nature” (November 28, 2025): lethbridge.ca
• City of Lethbridge, Trails and Pathways (cyclist and trail etiquette): lethbridge.ca; Tuesday Trail Tips: lethbridge.ca
• City of Lethbridge, Lethbridge Nature Reserve and Elizabeth Hall Wetlands (where bikes may ride): Lethbridge Nature Reserve, Elizabeth Hall Wetlands
• City of Lethbridge, Lethbridge Cycling Handbook (July 2020), lights, lane position, pathways, 2-V-1 helmet check: lethbridge.ca (PDF)
• Parachute, Helmets for bicycles, inline skating, scooter riding and skateboarding: parachute.ca
• Health Canada and Transport Canada, Misuse or modification of lithium-ion batteries in e-mobility devices (2023): recalls-rappels.canada.ca