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ARTICLE · 20 JUNE 2024

Is It Illegal To Ride A Bike On The Sidewalk In Canada?

Lerners LLP
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While the answer to every legal question is not, in fact, "it depends," in this case, it does depend. There are no federal laws respecting bicycle use; however, for adults, the answer is no...

CanadaTransport
Carolyn McKeen
Carolyn McKeen
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While the answer to every legal question is not, in fact, "it depends," in this case, it does depend. There are no federal laws respecting bicycle use; however, for adults, the answer is no — you should not be riding your bike on the sidewalk in most Canadian cities.

Cycling on sidewalks creates hazards for pedestrians, and bicycles are considered to be "vehicles" under provincial traffic laws. This means that cyclists are obliged to follow the same rules as other vehicles. They have to signal before turning, ride on the right side of the road and obey traffic lights and stop signs.

Provinces can make rules respecting helmet safety and use of roads; for example, British Columbia prohibits cycling across certain bridges. Ontario's Bicycle Safety website will tell you that children under the age of 10 are permitted to ride on the sidewalk "until they develop the skills to ride on the road with traffic."

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