E-Bike rules like the “Wild West”

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Vauxhall Advance

By Nikki Jamieson
Vauxhall Advance
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A lack of provincial legislation in e-bike use means it’s up to municipalities to create their own rules for it.

During their regular Sept. 21 meeting, Vauxhall council were presented with the Taber-Vauxhall RCMP detachment’s monthly report for August 2026.

The department responded to 13 calls for service within the Town of Vauxhall, including one criminal code violation, and had one 9-1-1 hang-up within town limits. They patrolled the area 32 times and issued no violation tickets in town.

Crime stats also largely continued to trend down between January and August 2026 compared to the same period last year, with a 43 per cent decrease in persons crimes, 17 per cent decrease in property crimes, and a 38 per cent decrease in other criminal code violations. However, for property crimes, the detachment reported a 100 per cent increase (11 more instances) in break and enters, although there were also nine fewer instances of motor vehicle thefts. RCMP Sgt. Stewart Gemmill said there had been a rash of break-ins at oil lease sites, with one site being hit four times within a short period of time, with investigations ongoing.

“(These events) are the reasons for the dramatic rise of break-ins in August. Charges were laid against two individuals caught in procession of stolen property last month,” said Gemmill. “Just because we don’t lay charges during the month this happened, these investigations sometimes they go on. Charges do eventually show up.”

Additionally, a new Corporal, Roxanne Ross, had joined the department, bringing their roster back up to full staff.

When asked by coun. Russell Norris about what he found when looking into e-bike regulations, Gemmill said there was no provincial legislation regulating their use, although there was some for their gas-powered counterparts.

“Towns can make bylaws to regulate their use and things like that, which gives us something to go on with that, but right now, it’s almost like the Wild West with electric stuff.”

When asked on whether there would soon be provincial legislation, Gemmill said he thought “it was coming for sure”.

Coun. Paul Ballard asked whether the RCMP could do outreach to their schools, and asked if those under 18 had to wear a helmet when riding them. Gemmill said they could do outreach, but currently, helmets were only required for bicycles, not e-bikes, noting “It’s just so new”.