No fines issued yet for using banned e-bikes on Okanagan Rail Trail

It may not be well known but only certain types of e-bikes are allowed on the Okanagan Rail Trail that runs from Kelowna to Coldstream.

The Regional District of North Okanagan has a bylaw, which was adopted on July 21, 2021, that follows rules implemented by B.C. Parks in 2019 that only allows Class 1 e-bikes on trails.

Those are the bikes with pedal-assist motors and have limited power and speeds.

Class 2 bikes have throttles that power the bikes even when the rider isn’t pedalling. They are classed as motorized vehicles so are only allowed in B.C. parks in the same areas as motorized vehicles. Class 3 bikes have more power.

“As you can appreciate, as with most bylaws, we do not sign for every regulation contained in the bylaw,” states an email from the regional district to iNFOnews.ca. “There have been no fines issued against the section of the bylaw. The penalty for a violation is $200.”

The bylaw says: “No person shall operate a motorized vehicle, including Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes, motorbikes, or snowmobiles on park, trail or natural space property without prior authorization of the regional district unless the property is designated for such purpose, such as roadways, or signed accordingly.”

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