Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba.
City studying scooter speed limits
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/01/04/city-studying-scoo...
The City of Winnipeg says they are looking to other jurisdictions to study speed limits for motorized bicycles and scooters on active transportation paths.
Spokesperson David Driedger said Friday the public service is researching how other Canadian jurisdictions are handling speed limits and how they can be enforced within Winnipeg.
Tom Milne, an electric bicycle user, says he would support a speed limit on the multi-use paths.
[SUBMITTED E-bike user Tom Milne said he would support a speed limit on active transportation routes.]https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/2907367_web1_467479517_869238715143499_1486855422972955768_n.jpg?w=1000
SUBMITTED
E-bike user Tom Milne said he would support a speed limit on active transportation routes.
“People who use two wheeled vehicles, we expect a certain level of courtesy and consideration from those folks operating for real vehicles,” he said. “I also think that people who use e-bikes need to extend that same courtesy consideration to people on regular bicycles, and particularly pedestrians on those shared trails and active transportation routes.”
Milne, 62, bought an e-bike two summers ago to stay active using a lower-impact bicycle. He clocks about 1,000 kilometers on his motorized bike every season and frequently uses active transportation paths.
The Old St. Vital resident said he would support a speed limit, but worries how well it would be enforced.
“I know it would be very costly for the city to put cadets or police officers or set up cameras, but I also thought about if they were to go with a limit of, say, 25 km/h and they posted those speed limits signs, that would make a difference,” he said.
Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, sits on the city’s active transportation committee which meets to discuss committee-related issues including speed limits.
Cohoe says the committee has discussed what provinces like Quebec have done to regulate speeds on active transportation paths and the public service will be researching what that province’s laws are.
According to the Quebec provincial website, to be able to travel on public pathways, an e-bike can’t travel any faster than 32 km/h.
For motorized personal mobility devices, which includes electric scooters and unicycles, the devices can travel a maximum speed of 25 km/h.
Cohoe applauded the city for being proactive in its approach to regulating speeds on pathways, but said it needs to be a multi-level approach.
“We know it’s going to be a challenge to regulate. There’s no question about that. I think part of this is the province and feds dealing with what comes in and what’s sold,” he said. “But then, you know, how do we enforce it will be an issue too.”
Most e-bikes can reach speeds of between 32 and 48 km/h depending on their make and model.
The active transportation advocate says the study will need to focus on regulating what can and can’t be on pathways, speed limits, the design of pathways and their widths to see what would be allowed on active transportation routes.
“Electric bikes are becoming more prevalent, and they vary a lot. They can be basically something where we’re powering a bike to something that’s approaching to what could count as a moped,
“I think we recognize that with electric bikes coming in that it’s an issue that does pop up. But I think we want to make sure we’re not over-regulating at some level and that we are maintaining safety out there as well,” Cohoe said.
Driedger couldn’t provide a timeline on when the forthcoming report, to be presented to the city’s Public Works department, will be available.
Milne believes the vast majority of e-bike and scooter users are responsible and share the road, but if they are over-regulated or forced off the paths and on to the roads, he would give his up.
“Exploring the city on those trails has really opened up my of view of Winnipeg, you don’t only have to travel on the road and it feels safer,” he said. “If I’m forced off the path I would no longer have a use for it.”
nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.camailto:nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca