E-bikes and e-scooters are surging in popularity across Winnipeg, but that growth is fuelling concern among riders, retailers and school officials about safety and a lack of clear rules for the road. The concern follows recent statistics from the Canadian Paediatric Society, which found 57 severe injuries related to e-scooters in 2025, including 10 deaths among children under the age of 18. Several e-bike users in Winnipeg say it’s time the city started enforcing speed limits for riders. Tom Milne, who lives in St. Vital, rides his e-bike two to three times a week in his neighbourhood. Over the past year, he says he’s noticed more e-bikes and e-scooters in the community — and more riders failing to slow down, with no bylaw in place to keep them in check. “If there’s no enforcement, then people will know that,” Milne said. “There are kids zooming up and down the street I live on, no helmets. My message to the city is speed limits and enforcement.” Under Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act, e-devices have not previously been regulated. That could soon change now that Bill 43 — the Highway Traffic Amendment and Drivers and Vehicles Amendment Act— has passed. A City of Winnipeg spokesperson said the city intends to bring recommendations to council later this year or in 2027, adding the city is “taking a careful and measured approach to studying and determining the best path forward.” Milne said he’d support a speed cap in the range of 15 to 20 kilometres an hour. Jim Backus, who rides his e-bike weekly, said e-bikes are already supposed to be restricted to a maximum speed, but riders need to use judgment. “32 kilometers an hour is supposed to be what they are restricted too. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should be driving at 32 all the time. Use some common sense,” Backus said. Backus said he’s noticed more young riders on the road driving recklessly, along with a rise in e-bikes that exceed the standard speed restriction. In Elmwood, staff at Bikes & Beyond sell regulated e-bikes on a weekly basis, but even they agree too many unregulated bikes are entering the market. “A lot of the incidents we hear about are bikes that are imported that don’t fit under the regulations that have pretty much unlimited speed. Whether they are 50, 60, 70 kilometers an hour. They are the problem on the roads,” said Brett Zagozewski, owner of Bikes & Beyond. With students returning to school in a few weeks, the Manitoba School Boards Association says the issue is top of mind. The matter was formally brought to the board in March. “Many of our trustees had some grave concerns about the usage from our students. And about them going out and about and perhaps not quite understanding what the rules are using these devices,” said Leah Klassen, interim president of the Manitoba School Boards Association. Klassen said the association met with the province last week to discuss possible additions to school curriculums on e-bike safety this fall. No details have been released yet on what that might look like. Province says regulatory work continues A spokesperson for the minister of transportation’s office told CTV News that Bill 43 is not yet in force, and the department continues working on related regulatory amendments, some of which include potential enforcement and fine-related changes. There is no requirement for municipalities to pass a bylaw once the legislation comes into force. Existing e-bike laws already apply across Manitoba under the Highway Traffic Act. However, municipalities are able to pass bylaws complementary to the Act regarding roads under their authority. The bill also introduces a requirement that operators of e-scooters or similar personal electric vehicles be at least 16 years old.
