Cam Ogilvie says it’s been about five months since his family ditched their car in favour of a cargo e-bike and he boasts it’s made them “much more connected” with their community.
The Guelph, Ont. resident says it took some doing to convince his better half to go along for the ride but ultimately the pair agree it’s brought them closer to their neighbours and the outdoors.
“It’s just a whole lot easier to be interrupted when you see people when you’re out traveling somewhere on a bike, rather than siloed off inside a metal box,” said Ogilvie.
“I’d say we’re much more connected to our community because of that.”
The active parents, who have a three-year-old and another just 18 months, considered the swap during the pandemic often gazing at a car sitting in their driveway that sometimes went days on end without any use.
Sporting a rust-proof, lightweight aluminum frame and a 500-watt battery that goes about 100 kilometres on a single charge, the Urban Arrow branded cargo bike runs for about $13,000 in Canada.
A basic commuter e-bike typically costs between $1,000 to $4,000, while a customized high-end e-bike can range between $10,000 to $12,000.
Still far lower than the cost of a new lower-end sedan in Canada averaging in the $56,000 range according to an autotrader.ca estimate in June.
Ogilvie says the sticker price is worth it, operating at a little over half the cost of what they were spending on a car.
The family car didn’t disappear right away when the bike arrived, as his partner was not willing to part with it until sure the two-and-a-half metre two-wheeler with polypropylene (EPP) foam box would cut it for the family of four.
“My son Seaton loves to go grocery shopping with me … he sits on the bench and we just pack the groceries around him,” he says. “We’ve actually had people at the grocery store literally ask if they could sit and watch us pack into the box.”
Cargo e-bikes are on the radar of municipalities and the provincial government after the launch of a five-year pilot in March of 2021 to determine if they will be allowed permanently in Ontario.
Out-of-the-box restrictions from the province included maximum assisted speeds up to 32 kilometres per hours and a maximum weight of 120 kg (includes the weight of the bike and battery).
Provincial controlled access highways, such as the 400 series and the QEW, are off-limits as are some municipal roads, sidewalks, bike paths, bike trails and bike lanes as outlined by local governments.
Rules around helmet requirements, minimum age for operators, size and speed restrictions, as well as whether they need to be insured are criteria the province will study for the next three years.
In Toronto, Purolator entered a joint pilot with the city last year to bring small pick-up locations and delivery bikes to the downtown core.
With the prospect of diminishing the 36 per cent of emissions the transportation sector brings, the city cleared “urban quick stop” hubs for last-mile deliveries via electric cargo bikes and gas-powered delivery trucks.
The manager of Guelph’s Community Safety Division says the municipality is currently treating the cargo e-bikes the same as e-bikes in terms of where they can go and park.
“Through current city bylaws, e-bikes are treated the same as bicycles, therefore anywhere a bicycle can go,” Dustin Gronc said.
In April, Hamilton councillors also gave the thumbs up after a public consultation in 2022 saw some 93 per cent of 500 respondents say yes to allowing the carriers on city streets.
Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver are other major cities that also have bylaws to allow cargo e-bikes.
Ogilvie says the next test will be winter, something they’ve not faced since buying the ride this past March.
“To be honest, we haven’t done a winter, ” he said.
“But we’ve cycled winters for a number of years … you dress appropriately and it’s really not as bad as most people think.”
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