Inuvik Town Council is looking to adjust a bylaw to allow for electronically motorized bicycles (e-bikes) on the roads.

Councillors discussed proposed changes to the All Terrain Vehicle bylaw during their May 10 committee of the whole meeting. They then moved the bylaw to first reading May 12.

鈥淲e specifically have a cut off based on power and speed,鈥� explained public safety officer Cynthia Hammond. 鈥�

If it鈥檚 below a certain threshold for power it鈥檚 not considered an ATV. If it is above that it鈥檚 considered an ATV with all of those prohibitions as well as licensing and registration requirements. Of it鈥檚 below that it won鈥檛 require that and it won鈥檛 be prohibited from being on all of the streets.鈥�

Changes to the bylaw include defining a 鈥渕otor assisted cycle鈥� as a vehicle that moves less than 32 kilometres per hour, to differentiate e-bikes from ATVs and other motorized forms of transport. The difference means e-bikes will be able to travel along Mackenzie Road, which is forbidden for ATVs and snowmobiles.

Under the new rules, e-bikes can be driven throughout town, excluding on sidewalks, private property, designated ski trails and anywhere on a school, park or playground that is not specifically designated for vehicles.

Cyclists must wear helmets at all times 鈥� unless they are Elders, at which point they are exempt from wearing helmets. The fine for not wearing a helmet is $125, the same for an ATV.

Assistant deputy mayor Clarence Wood questioned why Elders were given an exemption from wearing a helmet.

鈥淨uite frankly I don鈥檛 agree that the Elders should be exempt from a helmet,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 mean it鈥檚 the same as kids and anybody else riding a motorized bicycle. You can get hurt pretty bad if you have a fall on one of those and hit your head.

鈥淚 mean I thought we were supposed to protect our elders not leave them open to injury.鈥�

Deputy mayor Steve Baryluk said it was up to the individual Elder to decide whether to wear a helmet or not.

鈥淚 think anyone who鈥檚 sensible, which probably doesn鈥檛 include me, would use a helmet,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o I don鈥檛 necessarily think it鈥檚 a huge deal to have an exemption for Elders.

鈥淚f you have an Elder who really doesn鈥檛 want to use one then it may become an issue at that point.鈥�

Council will revisit the bylaw at a future council meeting, though Mayor Natasha Kulikowski noted many people were eager to see it passed before summer hit.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e waiting to be able to use them,鈥� she said.