E-scooter and e-bike sales surge across Canada despite rising deaths, patchwork of laws and emergency-room strain

Across the country, health professionals and law enforcement are sounding the alarm over a surge in catastrophic injuries and fatalities associated with electric micromobility devices — a category that includes all small, lightweight, personal vehicles powered by electric motors that can typically travel at speeds under 32 kilometres per hour. The warnings from doctors, nurses, paramedics and the police highlight the dangerous gap between rapid adoption, inconsistent regulations and road safety enforcement.

A growing trail of severe injuries and fatalities

The physical toll of these devices is mounting fast in emergency rooms across Canada.

Earlier this month, a 60-year-old man died after his e-scooter struck the open driver-side door of a parked vehicle on Driftwood Avenue near Jane Street in Toronto. He was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries only to succumb just a few days later. A week later, a Kelowna, BC youth died after an e-scooter collision.

Sadly, these deaths are part of a growing list of fatal micromobility incidents in the city — and across the country. In Toronto alone, police have already recorded more than 500 reported micromobility-related collisions this year. New data from BC Children’s Hospital tracked e-scooter-related visits among youth ages 13 to 17. From April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, this one emergency room department saw 81 visits, more than double the 37 visits recorded the year before. While, data released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reveals a 22% increase in hospitalizations from e-scooter injuries across Canada. In general, hospital staff are seeing an alarming wave of limb fractures, facial trauma, and severe brain injuries due to electric mobility device use.

Speaking on CIHI’s Canadian Health Information Podcast, Dr. Brian Rowe, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Alberta, highlighted the severe risks involved: “About 17% of our cases involved head injury. And if you have a significant head injury, you could be disabled for life.”

The crisis is particularly dire among young Canadians:

• 10 youth deaths: Data highlighted by the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP) revealed that 10 Canadian youths died from injuries involving e-scooters and similar devices in 2025 alone.
• Youngest riders at risk: The average age for reported incidents involving youth is between 10 and 12 years old, with children aged 10 to 15 accounting for 42% of pediatric cases, and children aged 5 to 9 making up another 18%.
• Rising ER numbers: At Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), pediatric emergency specialist Dr. Daniel Rosenfield tracked a sharp rise in youth emergency department visits. Speaking on the Canadian Institute for Health Information’s Canadian Health Information Podcast, Dr. Rosenfield noted that while SickKids saw just a single e-scooter injury in 2020, that number rose to 46 in 2024. In May 2025 alone, the hospital treated 16 injured children — more than all preceding month-of-May totals combined.

Speed, balance, and a latchkey regulatory patchwork

Why are these devices proving so hazardous?

Stand-up e-scooters feature a high centre of gravity and small wheels that are extremely susceptible to road hazards like potholes. Private, non-rental e-scooters are capable of reaching speeds well above 40 to 50 km/h — speeds that mimic mopeds or motorcycles — and motivated e-scooter owners can easily bypass speed limiters with quick online tutorials. Furthermore, physician surveys indicate that an overwhelming majority of riders — up to 80% or more — do not wear helmets.

E-bikes, on the other hand, are similar to their traditional non-electric counterparts with the added benefit of increased speeds with minimal physical effort. However, “higher e-bike speeds reduce reaction time for riders to avoid potential collisions,” explains Dr. John Maa in a paper he published with his colleagues in July 2024. He continues by saying: “Attractive styling, naming, and bicycle-like appearance may not convey these risks to younger riders or parents. Special caution should be exercised in traffic and when travelling downhill, as the heavier battery can lead to faster acceleration and loss of control.”

Laws for e-bikes and e-scooters haven’t kept up to speed

Complicating matters is a confusing patchwork of provincial and municipal laws.

In provinces like Ontario, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, the minimum operating age for standard e-bikes and e-scooters is legally set at 16.

In other jurisdictions, like Quebec and Nova Scotia, the age limit drops to 14, while some provinces leave age restrictions entirely up to individual municipalities.

In some cities like Toronto, private e-scooters remain illegal on public roads and sidewalks, yet sales continue unrestricted and enforcement is virtually non-existent, leaving riders exposed to mixed motor traffic without adequate protection or safety standards.

In other cities, like Vancouver, there are pilot programs that allow for e-scooters on municipal roads but only if the driver meets the minimum age requirements and the device can’t go above 25 km/hr.