Ontario Cargo E-Bike Pilot (2026): The Rules to 2031, Ten Cities Checked, Every Zeus Bike That Fits

Two rules, one trike. A 350 W trike such as this Meigi Hera is an ordinary e-bike under Ontario's rule; the pilot adds a second category for machines over 55 kg with motors up to 1,000 W.

Ontario lets a heavier, more powerful class of e-bike onto city streets, but only in cities that ask for it. The cargo e-bike pilot regulation, O. Reg. 141/21, now runs to 1 March 2031, and four of the province's ten largest cities have a by-law letting these machines onto their roads, Ottawa among them: its Council voted in February 2026 to stay in the pilot to 2031.

This guide reads the regulation, the ministry's pages, the 2026 e-bike proposal and ten cities' by-laws and records as they stood on 21 October 2026. It then checks every e-bike and trike Zeus sells, 119 of them, against the pilot's definition using each maker's own figures. Five trikes can qualify: the Addmotor Greattan L and Freetan M-368X with weight to spare, the Meet One Breeze 2.0 and Breeze Pro 2.0 by two to three kilograms, and the Addmotor Grandtan X once its optional basket is fitted. No two-wheeler we sell qualifies without a contested reading.

The Pilot Runs to 1 March 2031: What Changed in 2026

On 12 February 2026 Ontario filed O. Reg. 31/26, which rewrote s. 15(2) of the cargo regulation so that its revoking section, s. 14, comes into force on 1 March 2031 (O. Reg. 31/26, s. 1). Pages and by-laws written against the old date, Ottawa's among them, planned for a pilot that was about to stop; Ottawa's Council has since voted to stay in the pilot and amended its by-law. This section sets out what the regulation says now and where each 2026 change leaves a buyer.

The consolidated regulation carries the note "This Regulation is revoked on March 1, 2031" (O. Reg. 141/21, e-Laws, current to 19 October 2026), and the ministry's pilot page, updated 2 March 2026, gives the same end date (MTO, cargo e-bike pilot program). The Highway Traffic Act caps any pilot regulation at twelve years from filing (Highway Traffic Act, s. 228(6)), so 2031 sits inside that limit.

What Counts as a Cargo E-Bike: the Definition, Clause by Clause

Under O. Reg. 141/21 s. 1(1), a cargo power-assisted bicycle is a pedal-driven bicycle of conventional exposed fork-and-frame design that meets eleven conditions at once. Miss one and the vehicle is not a cargo e-bike under the pilot, whatever its seller calls it. The clause buyers miss most is the weight: the vehicle must weigh more than 55 kilograms, and no upper limit applies.

The ministry's page states the other side plainly: "There is no maximum weight limit" (MTO, requirements). A cargo e-bike "is deemed not to be a motor vehicle under the Act" (s. 1(2)), yet any municipal by-law that governs or prohibits motorized vehicles still applies to it unless the by-law says otherwise (s. 1(3)). The equipment list adds a bell or horn, lamps, reflective material, and brakes that stop the bike within nine metres from 30 km/h (s. 9).

Two gaps matter when you compare a spec sheet with clause (d.1) and clause (j). The regulation does not say whether the 55 kg includes the battery, and makers print weight both ways; if a figure sits within a few kilograms of the line, ask the seller for it in writing. And a cap sold as 20 mph is 32.2 km/h, while clause (j) wants no assistance at 32 km/h or more: set the display to 32 km/h.

The continuous rating is the number both of Ontario's rules read, and one maker can print two. Meet One's Canadian store lists a "500W Brushless Motor" for the Breeze 2.0 and Breeze Pro 2.0 (Meet One Canada), while its US store lists 750 W for the same trikes. Both figures sit under the pilot's 1,000 W; only the 500 W one fits the ordinary rule. Addmotor's Canadian page for the Grandtan X gives only a "peak motor power of 1,100W", which answers neither question.

Zeus Ebikes Canada, which publishes this guide, is an online e-bike store with its own range, priced in Canadian dollars and shipped free.

Which Ontario Rule Covers Your Trike: E-Bike, Cargo E-Bike, or Neither

A three-wheeler with a motor can fall under one of two Ontario rules, and a trike that fits neither is a motor vehicle on a public road. The ordinary e-bike rule covers motors of 500 W or less on machines of 120 kg or less. The pilot covers machines over 55 kg with motors up to 1,000 W. Anything else needs a permit, plates, a driver's licence and insurance to use a road.

Swipe the table

The last row is the one the ministry's own pages do not address. The ordinary rule's weight ceiling is 120 kg unladen (O. Reg. 369/09 s. 1), and the pilot's floor is 55 kg, so a 60 kg basket trike or box bike with a 500 W motor, on two wheels or three, matches both descriptions. Section 3 of the pilot regulation then bars any cargo e-bike from municipal roads unless a by-law permits it, and the Act says a pilot regulation prevails over the Act where the two conflict (HTA s. 228(7)).

Two Zeus trikes sit in that row at Meet One Canada's 500 W rating: the Breeze 2.0 at 57 kg and the Breeze Pro 2.0 at 58 kg, each with a factory rear basket.

Where a Cargo E-Bike May Ride in Ontario

The pilot starts from a prohibition. Section 3 bars a cargo e-bike from every highway, sidewalk, trail, path, walkway, public park and exhibition ground unless the regulation permits it and, on anything a municipality controls, a municipal by-law permits it too. A city that has passed no by-law has, for its own streets, left the answer at no. The regulation then says where a permitted bike rides.

The ministry's guidelines for municipalities read the parking rule as sending cargo e-bikes to "spots for motor vehicles", since they may not stop in places of passage (MTO guidelines). Cities have written their own versions: Toronto lets cargo bikes use on-street parking where parking is allowed, and Hamilton lets them use conventional bike parking and public loading zones. The city sections below give each.

Provincial highways that no municipality controls are the one case where the regulation alone decides: s. 4(1) permits the roadway and shoulder, less the scheduled controlled-access highways. The Act's rules of the road apply to every cargo e-bike trip, by-law or not (s. 6), and a rider must keep a safe distance from pedestrians and other users and give way where space runs short (s. 7(1)).

Ontario's Ten Largest Cities, Checked: Who Allows Cargo E-Bikes

Of Ontario's ten largest municipalities, four have a cargo e-bike by-law: Toronto, Hamilton and London (checked 21 October 2026) and Ottawa (its Council record, read 2 November 2026). Mississauga, Vaughan and Windsor say plainly that cargo e-bikes are not allowed.

Ottawa's by-law carried a 1 March 2026 repeal date (s. 38); its Council voted on 25 February 2026 to stay in the pilot until 1 March 2031 (Motion 2026-75-13) and passed By-law 2026-92 amending it on 11 March 2026 (Ottawa City Council minutes). For Brampton, Markham and Kitchener we found no by-law on the city's pages or in its council records on 28 September, and a search on 21 October turned up nothing newer.

Swipe the table

Population figures are the 2021 Census counts (Statistics Canada, table 98-10-0002-01). A finding of no by-law is not proof that none exists: it means the city's own pages and a search of its site and council records turned none up on 28 September, and a search on 21 October found nothing newer. The ministry holds the list, since a participating city must send it a copy of its by-law; we found no published copy of that list on the ministry's pages (MTO).

Two city pages trail their own law. Hamilton's page dates the by-laws to "April 26, 2022", while the by-laws record a Council date of 26 April 2023 and passage on 10 May 2023. London's page still gives the pilot's original 2026 end date; its new by-law runs until the provincial regulation is revoked. In Ottawa, the City's by-law page still printed the old repeal date when we read it on 28 September 2026, but the Council record shows the by-law kept and amended (By-law 2026-92, 11 March 2026).

If your city sits inside a region such as Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Niagara or Waterloo, ask whether its by-law also covers the regional roads you plan to use. For shops near you, see our guides to e-bike shops in Hamilton and London.

Toronto: Where a Cargo E-Bike May and May Not Go

Toronto opted into the pilot in June 2021 and added large cargo e-bikes, those over 120 kg unladen, that December (City of Toronto, Cargo Bikes). Its Municipal Code then sorts cargo e-bikes by motor, weight and pedals. A pedal-driven cargo e-bike of 500 W or less and 120 kg or less counts as a bicycle in bike lanes and cycle tracks (s. 886-1C). Above 500 W, the Code's lists leave it out.

Swipe the table

The trail row follows from arithmetic. Toronto's bicycle definition for parks and park paths covers a power-assisted bicycle "which weighs less than 40 kilograms and requires pedalling" (Code ch. 608, s. 608-1), and vehicles other than bicycles are confined to park roadways and parking areas (s. 608-26B). Every pilot cargo e-bike weighs over 55 kg, so none can use a park trail. The City's e-bike page, modified 30 July 2026, says the same of e-bikes over 40 kg or "which do not require muscular power" (City of Toronto, Electric Bicycles).

Throttles matter as much as watts. The Code's bicycle definition for lanes and cycle tracks excludes any bicycle "capable of being propelled or driven solely by any power other than muscular power" (Code ch. 886, s. 886-1C), and the City's page bars e-bikes and cargo e-bikes "that do not require pedalling" from protected lanes. The test is what the bike can do, not the mode you ride in. All five Zeus trikes that fit the pilot list a throttle.

The painted-lane cell is the one to watch. Section 886-10A lets a bicycle, a large cargo e-bike or a power-assisted bicycle use a bike lane, and a cargo e-bike over 500 W is none of those. The City's e-bike page, published by the same government, says "Bikes, e-bikes and cargo e-bikes are allowed in painted bike lanes." Until the two agree, the Code is the text a ticket would cite. If lanes are closed to you, O. Reg. 141/21 s. 5(3) puts you at the right edge of the roadway.

Parking has its own pair of sources. The City's cargo page says cargo bikes "can currently be parked on sidewalks" that stay passable, and may use on-street parking but not overnight in permit-parking areas. For a pilot cargo e-bike, s. 8(5) of the regulation forbids leaving it where pedestrians pass, and the ministry names the sidewalk as its example. Park on the street. For ordinary e-bike rules in the city, see our Toronto e-bike laws guide.

Rider Rules Under the Pilot: Age, Helmets, Passengers, Towing, Loads

The pilot's operator rules sit in sections 7 to 12 of O. Reg. 141/21, and the Highway Traffic Act's rules of the road apply on top of them (s. 6). A contravention of the pilot regulation carries a fine of $250 to $2,500 (HTA s. 228(8)), the range the ministry's own page repeats. The table gives each rule with its section.

Two of these rows answer questions callers have put to us. A basket is not a seat: under s. 8(2) a grandchild may ride only on a passenger seat the maker built into the bike. A dog cart or a trailer counts as a device or vehicle under s. 8(3), so a pilot cargo e-bike may not pull one. On modifications, the ministry's summary goes further than the regulation, telling riders simply not to "modify the vehicle" (MTO).

An ordinary e-bike trike has a passenger rule of its own. The Act says "No person riding or operating a bicycle designed for carrying one person only shall carry any other person thereon" (HTA s. 178(2)), and the Act's definition of a bicycle includes both a tricycle and a power-assisted bicycle (s. 1(1)). A one-seat trike carries one person, whichever rule it falls under.

An ordinary e-bike carries a second limit: its owner may not let anyone under 16 ride on it (HTA s. 38(2)), and read plainly that includes a child passenger.

Whether that bar also reaches a pilot cargo e-bike is unsettled. The pilot's s. 8(2) allows a passenger on a seat the maker built and sets no age, and a pilot regulation prevails over the Act where the two conflict (s. 228(7)). The Biking Lawyer, a Toronto cycling-injury firm, reads s. 38 as applying anyway and concludes that passengers under 16 "may not be permitted" (The Biking Lawyer, 29 October 2025). Until the province settles it, treat a child passenger as the risky case.

Impaired riding may bring Criminal Code consequences, the ministry's page adds.

Every Zeus Bike That Fits the Pilot: Five Trikes, Checked on Their Makers' Pages

Five of the 119 e-bikes and trikes Zeus sells today can qualify as pilot cargo e-bikes on their makers' own figures, and all five are trikes. The Addmotor Greattan L and Freetan M-368X clear the 55 kg line by 12 kg or more. The Meet One Breeze 2.0 and Breeze Pro 2.0 clear it by 2 to 3 kg, and the Addmotor Grandtan X qualifies once its optional basket is fitted. No two-wheeler we sell qualifies without a contested reading.

Swipe the table

Three of the five sit near the line, and the regulation does not say whether the battery counts toward the 55 kg. Meet One lists the Breeze battery at 3.62 kg and does not say whether its net weights include it; if they do, the Breeze 2.0 weighs 53.4 kg and the Pro 54.4 kg without it. Addmotor prints no battery weight for the Grandtan X. With the battery fitted, all three clear the line on their makers' figures, and the Greattan L and Freetan sit 12 to 15 kg above it. If you will rely on the pilot, get the seller's weight in writing.

The size limits are the clause the makers' figures leave partly open. Addmotor prints the length and width of its three, 197 to 212 cm by 81 to 93 cm, and a handlebar height of 118 to 135 cm, but no overall height; Meet One prints no overall size for either Breeze. The limits are 1.3 m wide, 4 m long and 2.2 m tall.

Qualifying is half the answer, because a pilot cargo e-bike rides on municipal roads only where a by-law allows it: Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and London among Ontario's ten largest cities. At Addmotor's US rating of 750 W, the pilot is the only route onto those roads for the Greattan L, Freetan and Grandtan X. At Meet One Canada's 500 W, the two Breezes also meet the ordinary e-bike rule, the two-readings case set out above. All five list a throttle, which keeps them off Toronto's protected lanes and park trails, and none may tow a trailer under the pilot (s. 8(3)).

The April proposal's possible 120 kg cargo minimum would, if adopted, take all five out of the pilot. On our reading of the proposal as written, the Breezes at 500 W would then fit the proposed Class 2, and the 750 W Addmotors would fit neither class.

Fits the pilot · 15 kg over the line · a passenger seat built in

Addmotor Greattan L

$5,299

70 kg154 lb, per Addmotor Canada

750 WAddmotor's US store; Canada prints none

32 km/hTop speed, per Addmotor

3 basketsFront, rear and under the seat

Addmotor Canada lists the Greattan L at "154 LBS / 70 KG" with a 32 km/h top speed, says it "comes equipped with both front and rear baskets", and adds a basket under the passenger seat (Addmotor Canada); its US store rates the motor at 48V*750W (Addmotor US). At 210.9 cm long and 93 cm wide on Addmotor's size table, it sits inside the 4 m and 1.3 m limits.

The rear seat is built by Addmotor, which s. 8(2) requires before a passenger rides along; whether a passenger under 16 may ride is the unsettled point in the rider rules above. At 750 W it has no route onto a road without a cargo by-law.

Best for: carrying a second adult, or a big load, where a cargo by-law applies. Not for: a city without one, or a rider who wants to tow, which the pilot bars.

View the Greattan L Electric trikes guide

Fits the pilot · 12 kg over the line · a semi-recumbent seat

Addmotor Freetan M-368X

$5,999

67 kg148 lb, per Addmotor Canada

750 WAddmotor's US store; Canada prints none

32 km/hTop speed, per Addmotor

Rear basketIncluded free, per Addmotor

Addmotor Canada lists "148 LBS / 67 KG" and a 32 km/h top speed, and names the "Freetan Rear Cargo Basket" among the free accessories that come with the trike (Addmotor Canada); its US store gives a 750 W motor (Addmotor US). Its size table reads 212 cm long and 81 cm wide, inside both limits, and its 20 in fat tires clear the wheel clause.

Best for: a rider who wants a semi-recumbent seat with a backrest, and a basket that comes with the trike. Not for: roads in a city without a cargo by-law.

View the Freetan M-368X Pedal assist vs throttle

Fits the pilot and, at 500 W, the ordinary rule · full suspension

Meet One Breeze Pro 2.0

$3,499

58 kgNet, per Meet One Canada

500 WMeet One Canada; 750 W in the US

32 km/hTop speed, per Meet One Canada

Rear basketIncluded, per Meet One

Meet One Canada lists "Net: 58 kg / 127.9 lbs", a rear basket as included, and, in the comparison table on the same page, a "500W Brushless Motor" and 32 km/h for both Breezes (Meet One Canada); its US store lists 750 W. Either rating is under the pilot's 1,000 W. At 500 W and 58 kg it is the two-readings case: an ordinary e-bike on reading two, and a cargo e-bike that needs a by-law on reading one.

Its margin over 55 kg is 3 kg, less than the 3.62 kg battery Meet One lists on its own line.

Best for: a rider who wants full suspension and a 500 W rating that keeps both Ontario rules open. Not for: a buyer who needs the weight settled before relying on the pilot.

View the Breeze Pro 2.0 500 W vs 750 W

Fits the pilot and, at 500 W, the ordinary rule · the lowest price of the five

Meet One Breeze 2.0

$2,599

57 kgNet, per Meet One Canada

500 WMeet One Canada; 750 W in the US

32 km/hTop speed, per Meet One Canada

FoldsRear basket included

Meet One Canada lists "Net: 57 kg / 125 lbs", a rear basket as included and a 32 km/h top speed (Meet One Canada), and its comparison table on the Breeze Pro 2.0 page gives this trike the same "500W Brushless Motor"; the US store lists 750 W. Like the Pro, it fits both of Ontario's rules at 500 W. Its 2 kg margin over 55 kg is smaller than its 3.62 kg battery, so the battery question decides it.

Best for: the lowest price among the five, and a frame that folds for storage. Not for: a buyer who needs a weight margin that does not depend on the battery question.

View the Breeze 2.0 E-bikes for seniors

Fits the pilot once its optional basket is fitted

Addmotor Grandtan X

$4,499

58 kg127.9 lb, per Addmotor Canada

750 WAddmotor's US store; 1,100 W peak in Canada

32 km/hTop speed, per Addmotor

BasketOptional, per Addmotor

Addmotor Canada lists a trike weight of "58 KG/127.9 LBS" and a 32 km/h top speed, offers an "Optional rear basket & waterproof bag", and gives only a "peak motor power of 1,100W" (Addmotor Canada); its US store rates the motor at 750 W (Addmotor US). Without a platform, basket or container it misses clause (c). With the basket fitted, Addmotor's figures clear the weight, motor, speed, wheel, length and width clauses, the weight by 3 kg, and Addmotor prints no battery weight.

Best for: a rider who wants full suspension and will add the basket. Not for: a buyer who wants a trike that qualifies as delivered.

View the Grandtan X Best cargo e-bikes in Canada

Heavy, but Outside the Pilot: 16 More Zeus Bikes

Sixteen other bikes we sell weigh about 55 kg or more on their makers' figures, and each misses another clause. The table gives the maker's own words or figures for the clause that keeps it out.

The Eahora models are the close case: heavy enough, and shipped by Eahora Canada limited to 500 W and 32 km/h. Read one way, a bike delivered at those limits meets clause (j), and lifting them later is the change s. 9(6) forbids. Read the other way, a motor its maker says can be unlocked is not "incapable" of assisting past 32 km/h, and its rated output is the global store's figure. We found no ruling on the point. Design weighs against several too: Eahora's global store files the Romeos and the DL2000 under "Moped Electric Bikes", while the pilot asks for "conventional exposed fork-and-frame bicycle design and appearance".

All 18 Zeus Trikes Checked Against Both Rules, $1,799 to $6,899

We read every trike's maker page on 21 October 2026, product data and rendered page both, and set the figures against both of Ontario's rules. Five meet the pilot's description, the two Breezes also fitting the ordinary rule at Meet One Canada's 500 W. Three more are ordinary e-bikes on their makers' figures, and three depend on which motor version you buy. Five fit neither rule on a public road, and two Meigi trikes fit neither on Meigi's own figures.

Where our listings and a maker disagree below, the maker's figure decides the verdict and the table names both.

Swipe the table

Prices are Zeus prices in Canadian dollars on 21 October 2026. A Zeus order adds our phone line and the 15-day return window for unused, unopened items (15% restocking fee). Every trike in the table lists a throttle on its maker's page, which keeps it off Toronto's protected lanes and park trails.

Several makers print a cap of 20 mph, which is 32.2 km/h. Set any of these displays to 32 km/h, the figure both of Ontario's rules name.

Ordinary e-bike · the lowest price on this page

Meigi Hera

$1,799

350 WFront hub, per Meigi

15 mph24 km/h top speed, per Meigi

24 in wheelsKenda 24 x 2.125 in

Rear basket19 x 15 x 10 in, 50 lb limit

The Hera sits well inside the ordinary rule: Meigi lists a "350W Front Brushless Hub" and a "15MPH top speed", with a twist throttle and a rear basket (Meigi Canada). As an ordinary e-bike it needs no by-law. Meigi publishes no weight on its page or in its manual; our listing says 124 lb, and if that holds, its basket also puts it inside the pilot's description, the two-readings case in the section on which rule applies.

Best for: groceries and errands at an unhurried pace. Not for: a rider who wants 32 km/h, or Toronto's protected lanes, since it has a throttle.

View the Meigi Hera Electric trikes guide

Ordinary e-bike · the maker prints every figure the rule needs

Eunorau ONE-TRIKE 2.0

$2,429

500 WRear drive, 80 Nm, per Eunorau

39 kg85.98 lb, per Eunorau

440 lbTotal payload

FoldsHydraulic disc brakes

Eunorau's Canadian page lists "48V/500W rear-drive motor with 80 N.m torque", "Weight: 85.98 lbs", a half-twist throttle, front and rear baskets and "20MPH under speed limited/locked" (Eunorau Canada). That is an ordinary Ontario e-bike with nothing left to guess, once the display is set to 32 km/h, since 20 mph is 32.2 km/h. At 39 kg it is far under the pilot's 55 kg line, so no by-law question arises.

Best for: a rider who wants the rules settled on the maker's own page, and a trike that folds for the car. Not for: Toronto's park trails or protected lanes, which close to throttle bikes.

View the ONE-TRIKE 2.0 E-bikes for seniors

Ordinary e-bike in its Canadian 500 W version · ask which motor

Addmotor Citytri E-310

$1,899

500 WAddmotor Canada; 1,100 W peak

39 kg86 lb with battery

32 km/h20 mph, per Addmotor

FoldsRear basket included

Addmotor's Canadian page lists a "500W Rear-Drive Motor" with a 1,100 W peak and "86 LBS / 39KG (Include Battery)" (Addmotor Canada), and our listing now gives the same 500 W; its US page lists 750 W. The Citytri we sell is that Canadian 500 W version, and a 500 W unit is an ordinary Ontario e-bike.

Best for: a folding trike for a condo storage room or a car trunk.

View the Citytri E-310 500 W vs 750 W

What the 2026 E-Bike Proposal Would Change for Trikes

On 23 April 2026 the ministry posted a proposal to replace Ontario's e-bike definition with two classes, and its summary adds one line about this pilot: if the classes pass, the ministry "would explore amending" O. Reg. 141/21 "to update the minimum weight requirement for cargo e-bikes from 55kg to 120kg" (ERO 026-0422 and its attached summary). Comments closed on 7 June. The registry still showed it as a proposal on 21 October.

Read together, the two changes would move trikes between categories; what follows is our reading of the proposal as written, not a statement the ministry has made. A throttle trike of 500 W or less and up to 120 kg would be a Class 2 e-bike, so the heavy 500 W trikes in the two-readings box would get a clear home. A 750 W trike under 120 kg would fit neither class, and with the cargo minimum at 120 kg it would fit the pilot only if it weighed more than that.

The proposal also pairs the classes with a line for everything else: moped and motorcycle-styled electric vehicles "would only be permitted on roads if they meet the requirements of an existing motor vehicle class", with a 12-month education period proposed. Our Ontario e-bike laws guide tracks the proposal alongside Bill 197, whose class-making power in HTA s. 1.2(1)(g) has been in force since 19 May 2026.

Before You Buy a Trike for Ontario Roads: an Eight-Point Check

Buying online is fine: the rules turn on the vehicle's specifications and where you ride it, not on where it was sold. What matters is getting the maker's own figures before you pay, because a listing's numbers can differ from the maker's, as the table above shows for several of ours. Work through these eight points with the maker's page open beside the listing.

1. Motor rating. Find the continuous rating, not the peak. 500 W or less is an ordinary e-bike; above 500 W up to 1,000 W needs the pilot (O. Reg. 141/21 s. 1(1)(j)).
2. Weight. Get the maker's figure and whether it includes the battery. Over 55 kg puts a basket trike inside the pilot's description (s. 1(1)(d.1)); over 120 kg takes it out of the ordinary rule (O. Reg. 369/09 s. 1).
3. Speed cap. Set the display to 32 km/h; 20 mph is 32.2 km/h.
4. Your city. Above 500 W, confirm your municipality has a cargo by-law in force, in writing if you can (s. 3).
5. Throttle. In Toronto a throttle keeps any e-bike off protected lanes and park trails, whatever mode you ride in (Code s. 886-1C, s. 608-1).
6. Passengers. Only on a passenger seat the maker built for the bike (s. 8(2); HTA s. 178(2)).
7. Towing. None behind a pilot cargo e-bike (s. 8(3)).
8. Width. Up to 1.3 m under the pilot (s. 1(1)(e)); in Toronto, a cargo e-bike counts as a large cargo e-bike only when it is wider than 0.9 m and heavier than 120 kg (Code s. 886-1).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ontario's cargo e-bike pilot still running in 2026?

Yes. O. Reg. 31/26, filed 12 February 2026, moved the pilot regulation's revocation to 1 March 2031, and the ministry's page gives the same date. A separate April 2026 proposal would raise the pilot's 55 kg minimum to 120 kg; it was still a proposal on 21 October 2026.

What is the minimum weight for a cargo e-bike in Ontario?

More than 55 kilograms (O. Reg. 141/21 s. 1(1)(d.1), added by O. Reg. 321/21 in April 2021). There is no maximum. The regulation does not say whether the battery counts, so get the maker's figure and ask how it was measured if it sits near the line.

Which Zeus e-bikes qualify for Ontario's cargo e-bike pilot?

Five trikes, on their makers' figures read 21 October 2026: the Addmotor Greattan L (70 kg) and Freetan M-368X (67 kg), the Meet One Breeze Pro 2.0 (58 kg net) and Breeze 2.0 (57 kg net), and the Addmotor Grandtan X (58 kg) once its optional rear basket is fitted. None of the two-wheelers we sell qualifies without a contested reading: the heavy ones are rated far above the pilot's limits, or are Eahora models whose design and adjustable speed limit put them in doubt. Qualifying lets you ride on a city's streets only where its by-law allows cargo e-bikes, as in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and London.

Can I ride a cargo e-bike in Toronto bike lanes?

A pedal-driven cargo e-bike of 500 W or less and 120 kg or less may use painted lanes and cycle tracks (Code s. 886-1C). Over 500 W, Code s. 886-10A leaves it off the bike-lane list while the City's e-bike page says cargo e-bikes may use painted lanes; cycle tracks stay closed. Large cargo e-bikes may use both but not stop in them.

Are electric trikes street legal in Ontario?

Yes, as ordinary e-bikes, when they meet the rule: a trike with working pedals, a motor of 500 W or less, assistance that stops at 32 km/h and a weight of 120 kg or less is a bicycle under the Act (HTA s. 1(1); O. Reg. 369/09). Above 500 W it needs the cargo pilot, which means over 55 kg and, on city streets, a city by-law. Over 500 W at 55 kg or less, it fits neither.

Do I need a licence or insurance for an electric trike in Ontario?

Not for an ordinary e-bike trike, and not under the cargo pilot regulation, which asks for no licence, permit or insurance. A city that allows cargo e-bikes may set insurance terms of its own, the ministry says. A trike outside both rules is a motor vehicle and needs a permit, a licence and insurance (HTA s. 7(1), s. 32(1); Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, s. 2(1)).

Can I carry a passenger or a child on an electric trike?

Only on a seat built for a passenger. Under the pilot, a passenger may ride only if the bike was manufactured to carry one (s. 8(2)). For an ordinary trike, the Act bars carrying anyone on a bicycle designed for one person (HTA s. 178(2)), and an owner may not let anyone under 16 ride on an ordinary e-bike (s. 38(2)); whether that bar also covers a pilot cargo e-bike is unsettled, and one Toronto cycling lawyer reads it as covering it. A basket is not a seat, and everyone aboard a cargo e-bike wears a helmet (s. 10).

Can I tow a trailer or a dog cart behind a cargo e-bike?

No. The pilot bars towing "another person, vehicle or device" and hitching the bike to anything to be towed (O. Reg. 141/21 s. 8(3), 8(4)). Carry the load in the bike's own basket, platform or box, bound or covered so nothing can fall or spill (s. 8(7)).

Is a cargo e-bike a motor vehicle in Ontario?

No. A cargo e-bike that meets the definition "is deemed not to be a motor vehicle under the Act" (s. 1(2)). But municipal by-laws that govern or prohibit motorized vehicles still apply to it unless the by-law says otherwise (s. 1(3)), and a trike that misses the definition, for instance at 750 W and 49 kg, is a motor vehicle on a road.

Can I ride a cargo e-bike in Ottawa?

Yes. Ottawa's Council voted on 25 February 2026 to stay in Ontario's cargo e-bike pilot until 1 March 2031 and on 11 March passed By-law 2026-92 amending its E-Cargo Bike By-law 2021-290. As the City printed that by-law in September 2026, a personal cargo e-bike may use roads, bike lanes and multi-use pathways unless a sign says otherwise, never sidewalks, and commercial ones stay off the pathways. An ordinary e-bike trike of 500 W or less needs no by-law.

Can I ride an electric trike on the sidewalk in Ontario?

Sidewalks belong to the municipality. A pilot cargo e-bike may use one only where a by-law allows it (s. 3), and Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and London all bar cargo e-bikes from sidewalks. Toronto also bars anyone 14 or older from riding a bicycle on a sidewalk (Code s. 950-201C). The pilot's one sidewalk exception is a tunnel or underpass (s. 5(2)).

Are 750 W electric trikes legal in Ontario?

Only as a pilot cargo e-bike: over 55 kg, a basket, platform or container, inside the size limits, assistance stopping at 32 km/h, and, on a municipality's roads, ridden only where its by-law allows it. On Addmotor's US rating of 750 W, the Greattan L and Freetan M-368X meet that description, and the Grandtan X does once its optional basket is fitted. A 750 W trike under 55 kg, such as the 49 kg Arisetan II, fits neither Ontario rule on a public road.

The Bottom Line

Ontario's cargo pilot, in force to 1 March 2031, opens a second door onto the road for heavy, powerful e-bikes, but on city streets only where the city has passed a by-law. A cargo e-bike under it weighs over 55 kg, carries a basket, platform or container, and has a motor rated 1,000 W or less that stops assisting at 32 km/h. Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and London have opened it.

For a trike buyer the simpler door is the ordinary rule. A trike of 500 W or less, 120 kg or less, with working pedals and a 32 km/h cap, needs no by-law and no licence, and it keeps a clear place under the 2026 proposal. Of the 18 trikes above, the Meigi Hera, Eunorau ONE-TRIKE 2.0 and Taubik Axis meet that rule on their makers' figures; the Citytri, Meigi Zeus and Meigi Silverado do in their 500 W versions; and the two Breezes do at Meet One Canada's 500 W.

For the pilot itself, five Zeus trikes qualify on their makers' figures: the Greattan L and Freetan M-368X with weight to spare, the two Breezes by 2 to 3 kg, and the Grandtan X once its basket is fitted. No two-wheeler we sell qualifies without a contested reading.

The risk sits with 750 W trikes that weigh under 55 kg, which fit neither rule on a public road, and with any spec sheet that prints a peak rating or no weight at all. Ask for the maker's continuous rating and weight before you buy, and check your city's by-law if the motor is over 500 W.

Zeus ships across Ontario, and an unused, unopened bike can be returned within 15 days of delivery under our refund policy (15% restocking fee). Call 1-866-938-7580 with a model and your city, and we will read the maker's page against both rules with you before you order. The electric trike collection lists every trike we carry, and the financing guide explains the options.

This guide summarizes Ontario's cargo e-bike rules for general information and is not legal advice. The pilot runs to 1 March 2031 and the 2026 e-bike proposal may change it sooner, so confirm the current rule with the Ministry of Transportation and your municipality before you rely on this page. Last updated: 21 October 2026, when every law, by-law and ministry source below was re-read, Windsor's status was corrected from its own committee agenda, and the makers' pages for 72 bikes were read for the catalogue check. Found an error? milad@zeusebikes.ca.

Sources, with the Date Each Was Read

Every source below was opened on 21 October 2026 unless the entry says otherwise. Statutes and regulations were read on e-Laws; municipal pages, by-laws and council reports on each city's own site; product figures on each maker's own page, with the product data and the rendered page read together. Where a city page and its by-law disagree, the text above gives both.