Calgary Pathways: Mayor Faces Pressure Over E-Bike Speed Limits

CALGARY, AB — Mayor Jeromy Farkas is facing public pressure to crack down on high-powered e-bikes tearing through Calgary's pathways at highway speeds—before spring thaw turns the city's trails into a free-for-all.

A Reddit user posted a direct appeal to the mayor, describing electric motorcycles disguised as "e-bikes" hitting 40 to 50 km/h on Nose Hill and Fish Creek trails without a single pedal stroke. The concern: riders in full-face helmets and body armor who threaten violence when confronted, while pedestrians and joggers share the same narrow pavement.

"I know you're a trail runner—do you want to run into electric dirt bikes on Nose Hill doing 40 km/h?" the user wrote, calling for action before warmer weather multiplies the problem.

What The Law Says

Under Alberta's Traffic Safety Act and the City of Calgary's Parks and Pathways Bylaw, legal e-bikes max out at 500 watts and 32 km/h assisted speed—and riders must have working pedals. Throttle-only machines and anything resembling an electric motorcycle are banned from pathways. The city speed limit on multi-use trails: 20 km/h unless posted otherwise.

Reality on the ground is messier. Calgary Police Service Constable Todd Stephenson flagged the challenge last year: telling the difference between a legal pedal-assist bike and a souped-up electric motorcycle is tough without stopping riders. Enforcement comes through a six-member Community Safety bike team and CPS patrols using laser speed detection. Fines range from $100 to $400.

The Friction Point

The public complaint lands in the middle of a broader clash over pathway safety and regulation. In September 2025, a man in his 80s died in an e-bike crash near the Reconciliation Bridge after striking a barrier police believe was tampered with. The incident amplified calls for stricter enforcement and clearer rules separating low-speed pedal-assist bikes from high-powered machines.

The Reddit post drew a hard line: pedal-assist bikes at 20 km/h are fine. Throttle-powered vehicles dressed up as bicycles are not. The user pointed to New Jersey's recent move requiring licenses and insurance for e-bikes as a model worth examining.

Where The Players Stand

Mayor Farkas has not yet publicly responded to the Reddit appeal. His predecessor, Jyoti Gondek, met with Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen in July 2025 to discuss bike lane infrastructure—though the focus was on reducing road congestion for cars, not regulating e-bike speed on pathways. Provincial parks now permit Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes on designated trails but ban throttle-based machines outright.

The city's enforcement budget includes operational funding for the bike team, and pathway fines have been on the books for years. The question now is whether the existing framework can keep pace with devices that blur the line between bicycle and motorcycle.

What Happens Next

Spring is roughly six weeks away. The mayor's office has not announced any new enforcement strategy, public awareness campaign, or City Council motion to address throttle-only e-bikes. No provincial legislative review is scheduled for 2026. The federal government updated e-bike definitions in 2025, but enforcement remains a municipal game.

For now, the pathway speed limit is 20 km/h. The machines doing double that are already illegal. The friction is whether anyone will stop them before the snow melts.