And here I thought it was an undiagnosed case of Tourette's syndrome that makes me do that...Canadians don't revolt, we just mutter obscenities under our breath
I pointed similar info about manufacturing vehicles out earlier in another thread and one victim of Transport Canada's wrath I know of is Harness Grinder in Ingersoll Ontario. They got into it over building and selling custom motorcycles similar to how the guys at OCC in the USA do it...you just can't do that in Canada and it's been that way for a long time. What scares me is that guys like Motor Boys in Cambridge who are selling pre-built ready to run MB's are leaving themselves wide open for some heartache. All it will take is one customer to be involved in a serious mishap and say I bought it complete and ready to go from so and so. Building a one off MB yourself for your own personal use on the other hand is a different story of course ...but... if you try and register it in whatever province as an LSM and BS about it's compliance with federal standards you too are then breaking the law which of course leaves you wide open for some governmental heat. This now brings me back to thinking about MB rallies and the lobbying of politicians...the electric bicycle guys have tried and failed to get their DIY creations recognized more than once in more than one province so sadly I really doubt we will ever see our creations doing anything but flying below the radar. That kinda sucks BUT with an absence of laws specifically against what we and the DIY ebike guys are doing life is good so you have to ask yourself is it worth it to lobby provincial politicians for new laws or changes to current ones? When you really think about it, since the provinces follow federal guidlines, the rules we would need to have changed are the federal rules and if the feds change them for us then they'd have to change them for the custom motorcycle builders, the kit car builders, the electric car conversion companies etc etc...A company manufacturing vehicles which do not comply with the power-assisted bicycle requirement but selling their vehicles as such faces investigation and penalties from Transport Canada.
My friend Mark in Victoria got his registered with a plate on it --it needs signals,head and tail lights horn etc everything a motorcycle has then there are no hassels but you pay license fees.I've been following this new law in Alberta myself and may have come up with a solution POSSIBLY, HOWEVER it may would require you to have a plate and insurance. A friend of mine who owns a motorcycle shop and is a government authorized inspection facility tells me that you can get a vin number for them issued by the rcmp. You would require an inspection by a gov't licensed(motorcycle shop) inspection facility and it would be classified as a homebuilt moped. Afterall lots of guys have homemade choppers is the reasoning. I haven't fully checked into all the details but the advice is it can be done, not saying I want to go this route at all as I am careful and never been hassled but if it came down to it and I can get a vin etc I would do it if hassle started and I can do it. Ill keep you posted as I will be at his shop this weekend to see him. Food for thought maybe?
This is more risk than I wish to assume.