. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.99/590
1 December 1999
(99-5172)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Transport
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   National Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Power-assisted bicycles
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Amendment
to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Power-assisted Bicycles) (pages 3448-3455;
English and French)
6. Description of content:   Bicycles that use a motor to help the cyclist propel the vehicle are
new to the Canadian market.  These bicycles come under the purview of the Motor Vehicle
Safety Act  because they are motorized.  Specifically, power-assisted bicycles fall into the
limited-speed Motorcycle subclass of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations  and accordingly
must comply with the safety standards applicable to that category of vehicle.  Thisamendment to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations will relieve power-assisted bicycles
from having to comply with the federal safe ty standards provided they possess certain
characteristics.
The use and performance of power-assisted bicycles are similar to those of regular bicycles.
A power-assisted bicycle requires the use of pedals and the motor is only permitted to
provide assistance to the rider up to a speed of 24 km/h.
Transport Canada has received requests to exempt electric-powered bicycles that can be
propelled by the combination of a power source and the cyclist's muscles from having to
comply with a number of the safety standa rds prescribed for limited-speed motorcycles.
This amendment would introduce and define the term "power-assisted bicycle".  Power-
assisted bicycles would no longer be classed as limited-speed motorcycles and would not be
required to comply with the applicable safety standards for that subclass of vehicles.  Beinglike conventional bicycles, they would be requi red to comply with provincial or territorial
requirements established for those vehicles.
Apart from the above change to the Regulations, it is not the intention of this amendment to
relax the existing standards as they apply to motorcycles and limited-speed motorcycles.G/TBT/Notif.99/590
Page 2
This proposed amendment to the Regulations does not include power-assisted bicycles
which can be propelled without the pedalling action of the rider.  If, however, it can be
satisfactorily demonstrated by comments to this proposal that such vehicles are no more
hazardous than power-assisted bicycles which must be pedalled, this amendment could
include them.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Protection of the environment.
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part I, 20 November 1999
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }Not stated
10. Final date for comments:   18 February 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body: