E-Bike policy development

Table of contents

1. Latest status, project overview, timeline and engagment
2. Phase 1: Project objectives
3. Phase 1: Current context and reality
4. Phase 1: Community scan and stakeholder interviews
5. Phase 2: Proposed policy directions – Valley Trail
6. Phase 2: Proposed policy directions – Off-road
7. Current e-bike regulations
8. Classification of e-bikes 

Latest status

Thank you to everyone who attended the March 13 Open House to learn about draft policy directions for e-bike and other e-mobility device use on Whistler’s trails.

If you missed the open house you can:

1. Download display materials.
2. Complete an online survey until March 31 to share your ideas and feedback.​

Complete the survey

Feedback from the open house and survey will be used to guide the development of final policies for Whistler, which are expected to be implemented for the 2019 riding season. 

Overview

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is currently leading a project with the Whistler Centre for Sustainability to develop policies or regulations for the use of e-mobility devices on the Valley Trail and local recreation off-road trails managed by the RMOW, Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA), and Recreation Sites and Trails BC (provincial Crown Lands) within the boundaries of the Cheakamus Community Forest.

Whistler Blackcomb and their Controlled Recreation Area (CRA) and BC Parks are outside of the geographic scope for this project, but staff are consulting with them to ensure alignment with policy directions.

The project began in fall 2018 and will be completed in spring 2019, with the goal of implementing policies for the 2019 riding season.

What’s an e-mobility device?

There are a wide range of e-mobility devices, which can use 100 per cent human power, 100 per cent motor, or a combination of both. These include:

• several classes of e-bikes
• e-adaptive mountain bikes (electric mountain bikes that are highly adapted for users with limited mobility in their limbs from spinal cord injuries or other disabilities)
• motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters
• other personal mobility devices (e.g. e-scooters, e-skateboards, e-Segways and non-bike e-devices). 

Learn more about Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes.

Timeline and engagement

This 2018–2019 project includes five phases:

Phase 1 (winter 2018/19) - COMPLETE
This phase included development of project objectives, research and evaluation of e-bike policies in other communities and initial engagement and discussions with stakeholders.

Seventeen stakeholder interviews were conducted with organizations and groups including Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA), Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE), Tourism Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb, Whistler Adaptive Sports, Trials 99, Whistler Search and Rescue, Recreation Sites and Trails BC, BC Parks, and the Mature Action Committee, Forest and Wildland Advisory Committee, Recreation and Leisure Advisory Committee, and local businesses

Phase 2 (February to March 2019) - IN PROGRESS
Development of draft policy directions; staff, public and stakeholder engagement.

• A community open house took place on March 13, 2019. Download the display materials.
• An online survey is now live. Complete it by March 31.

Phase 3 (March and April 2019) – development of policy or regulations

Phase 4 (May 2019 onwards) – implementation and public communication

Phase 5 (Ongoing) – monitoring and evaluation