The city of Vancouver, Canada is full of paved and smooth walking and bike trails. There is also Stanley Park and the Sea Wall, and lots of skate parks – Hastings Skate, Kensington Skate Park, UBC, and the Downtown Skate Plaza.
If you have a short commute to work, then an electric skateboard Vancouver could be an ideal way for you to get to and from your job, and then you can throw your board under your desk to charge.
Vancouver has a great history of skateboarding culture. In 1999, the Vancouver Skateboard Coalition was formed to operate as “Vancouver’s voice for skateboarding.” In 2005, Vancouver’s Board of Parks and Recreation implemented a strategy to increase the number and distribution of skate parks in the city.
Where can I buy an electric skateboard Vancouver in person right now?
So you’re one of those impatient types, eh? Don’t wanna wait for a delivery truck? You’re in luck. There are a few skate shops around Vancouver that have started carrying electric skateboards – and in some cases, they carry quite a few options and even let you test drive them!
If you can wait, you might end up with a better price buying an electric skateboard Canada online. However, if you are close to a local skate shop, it’s a great idea to support a local Canadian business anyways!
On West 4th, in Vancouver, is a skate shop that has been in the city since the 1980s. CalStreets (also Boarder Labs) carries an extensive range of electric skateboards in Vancouver, including brands like Boosted, Onewheel, Evolve, Synergy, and Evolve.
North49 Brands, on Clark Drive in Vancouver, carries less of a selection. For electric skateboard Vancouver, it has OneWheel, Lynx, and Panther models and also carries e-Bikes and electric scooters. North49 offers a ‘schedule a ride’ system to book a time to review and test some of their electric skateboards – booking a time allows them to have the item set up, charged, and ready to go.
There are a few other skateboard shops around Vancouver and the Lower Mainland out in Richmond and Surry, but none of them list electric skateboards on their websites so we haven’t listed them here.
If you’re looking for a cheap electric skateboard in Vancouver, head over to the closest Best Buy Canada or Wal-Mar and see what you can find. They’ve carried the RazorX as well as some Onewheel boards in the past.
Electric Skateboards in Vancouver News
In June 2017, according to the Vancouver Sun, Daniel from Vancouver was riding his Boosted Electric Board down a hill in Kitsilano when he was stopped by police and given a $598 fine.
In July 2019, CBC did a story about electric skateboards with the title quote “It’s so insanely unsafe” Read the article here
There is a Reddit thread from late 2019 – (Electric Skateboard Vancouver) that talks about electric skateboarder’s experiences in Vancouver Canada. Mostly, people don’t have any issue even when riding past cop cars – as long as they are going a reasonable speed and are staying in the bike lanes.
Are electric skateboards legal in Vancouver Canada?
The provincial Motor Vehicles Act prohibits the use of low-powered vehicles, such as motorized hoverboards and scooters, as well as electric skateboards, on all public rights of way (meaning roads and sidewalks) – with an exemption for electric wheelchairs. In short, ICBC says you can only operate these where the Motor Vehicle Act doesn’t apply
This includes private property that doesn’t have public vehicle access (which I assume would mean shopping mall parking lots are not allowed), or on trails or pathways – if allowed by municipal bylaw.
The city regulates the park paths and Seawall, and so far has made no specific allowance for them. However, the Vancouver Police have officially said they prefer to educate, using enforcement as a last resort.
In March 2021, the Vancouver Sun ran an article that discussed a BC Ministry of Transportation pilot project to asses the safety of electronic personal transportation. Six municipalities in BC are participating, including Vancouver, West Vancouver and North Vancouver.
Once those cities pass bylaws, then electric scooters will be treated like electric bikes. It’s unclear whether the bylaws will include electric skateboards.
What is the best electric skateboard in Vancouver?
Check out our full write-up and comparison of the best electric skateboards you can buy in Canada.
https://www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/specialty-vehicles/Low-powered-vehicles/Pages/Motorized-scooters-and-skateboards.aspx
It is actually illegal to ride electric skateboards on roads or sidewalks in BC (this includes bike paths on or next to roads)
Thanks – can you provide a reference? We note above that the motor vehicle act prohibits them on roadways, what law covers the sidewalks and walking paths?