LAW - Amendments to MAC Regulation

The government has amended the Motor Assisted Cycle (MAC) Regulation on October 11, 2022. The amendments update the requirements for tires, pedals and motor shutoffs.

Changes:

1. The diameter mentioned in section 2(1) now includes the rubber tire in the dimension
2. The pedals or hand cranks must be usable and provide assistance when the motor is running
3. The language around motor shutoff has been expanded to be more descriptive of how it should operate

1 Section 2 (1) of the Motor Assisted Cycle Regulation, B.C. Reg. 151/2002, is repealed and the following substituted:

(1) The wheels of a motor assisted cycle, including the rubber tires that make contact with the ground, must be 350 mm or more in diameter.

2 The following section is added:

Operation of pedals or hand cranks requirement

2.1 The pedals or hand cranks attached to a motor assisted cycle must be capable of being operated while the motors of the motor assisted cycle are engaged and provide assistance propelling the motor assisted cycle.

3 Section 3 is repealed and the following substituted:

Motor shut-off requirement

3 (1) If a motor assisted cycle is equipped with an accelerator controller, the motor assisted cycle must be equipped with a mechanism, separate from the accelerator controller, that

(a) allows the operator to turn the motors on and off from a normal seated position while operating the motor assisted cycle, or

(b) prevents the motors from turning on or engaging before the motor assisted cycle attains a speed of 3 km/hr.

(2) The motors of a motor assisted cycle must disengage and no longer provide assistance propelling the motor assisted cycle as follows:

(a) if the motors are engaged by pedalling, when the operator stops pedalling;

(b) if the motors are engaged by hand cranking, when the operator stops hand cranking;

(c) if the motors are engaged by operating an accelerator controller, when the operator releases or disengages the accelerator controller;

(d) regardless of how the motors are engaged, when the operator applies a brake.