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Speed limits in Canada

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Canadian speed limits have been posted in kilometres per hour (km/h) since 1977. Before then, when Canada used Imperial units, speed limits were in miles per hour (mph).

Statutory speed limits

Statutory speed limits are default speed limits set by a statute in each province or territory. They apply on roads which do not have posted speed limits. Posted speed limits may differ from the statutory speed limit as indicated by speed limit signs.

In most provinces and territories, statutory speed limits are 50 km/h in urban areas, 80 km/h in rural areas. [1][2] There is not a statutory speed limit for grade-separated expressways, however the typical speed limit in most provinces is 100 km/h. Statutory speed limits for school zones tend to be 30 or 40 km/h in urban areas and 50 km/h in rural areas.[3]

Where a dash (–) is indicated, there is no statutory speed limit: speed limits must always be posted. Where N/A is indicated, there is no such roadway in the province or territory.

Province or Territory School Zone
(urban / rural) 		Urban Rural
(local / highway) 		Expressway Highest speed limit
Alberta 30 / 30 50[4] 80 / 100 110[4] 110
British Columbia 30 / 30[5] 50[6] 80[6] 110 / 120[6] 120[7][8]
Manitoba 30 / 50 50[9] 90 100[9]/110 110[10]
New Brunswick 50 / 50[11] 50[12] 80 / 90 110 110
Newfoundland and Labrador 50 / 50 50[13] 80 / 100 100 100
Northwest Territories –[14] 45[15] 90 / 100 N/A 100
Nova Scotia 30 / 50[16] 50[17] 80 / 90 110 110
Nunavut[18] 50 90 N/A 90
Ontario 40 50 80[19] - 100
Prince Edward Island – / 60 50[20] 80 / 90 N/A 90
Saskatchewan 40 50 80 / 100[21] 110[22] 110
Québec 30 / 50[23] 50[24] 90 / 90 100 100
Yukon 30 / 40[25] 50[26] 50[27] N/A 100

Regulations

Speeding penalties on a rural Ontario highway
110 km/h speed limit on the Trans-Canada Highway in New Brunswick
120 km/h speed limit on Island Highway (BC 19), north of Parksville; as of 2014 this is the highest signed speed limit in Canada.

Community safety zones

In Ontario, speeding fines double in areas identified as "Community Safety Zones".

Construction zones

In most Canadian provinces, as in most other locales, speed violation fines are double (or more) in construction zones, although in Ontario and Alberta, this only applies if workers are present in the construction zone.

Racing, contests & stunt driving

In Ontario, as of September 2007, drivers caught speeding 50 km/h over the posted speed limit may have the vehicle that they are driving impounded immediately for 7 days and their license suspended for 7 days and have to appear before the court. For a first conviction, they face an additional $2,000-$10,000 fine and 6 demerit points; they may also face up to 6 months in jail and licence suspension of up to two years. For a second conviction within 10 years of the first conviction, their license may be suspended for up to 10 years.[28]

Truck speed limiters

In Ontario and Québec, trucks must be electronically limited to 105 km/h.

Radar detectors

Radar detectors in Canada are legal only in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. They are illegal to use in the other provinces and all three territories. Regardless of whether they are used or not, police and law enforcement officers may confiscate radar detectors, operational or not, and impose substantial fines in provinces where radar detectors are illegal.[29] Quebec penalizes $500 for use of a radar detector, along with confiscation of the device.[30]

Signage

A speed limit sign reads "MAXIMUM XX", such as "MAXIMUM 80" for 80 km/h. A minimum speed sign reads "XX MINIMUM", such as "60 MINIMUM" for 60 km/h.

  • Speed limit sign
    Speed limit sign
  • Minimum speed limit sign
    Minimum speed limit sign
  • Speed limit sign in Ontario
    Speed limit sign in Ontario
  • Speed limit sign in British Columbia and Yukon
    Speed limit sign in British Columbia and Yukon
  • Upcoming/Advanced notice of speed limit change sign
    Upcoming/Advanced notice of speed limit change sign
  • Upcoming/Advanced notice of speed limit change sign in British Columbia and Yukon
    Upcoming/Advanced notice of speed limit change sign in British Columbia and Yukon
  • Upcoming/Advanced notice of speed limit change sign in Ontario
    Upcoming/Advanced notice of speed limit change sign in Ontario
  • Speed limit sign in Quebec
    Speed limit sign in Quebec
  • Speed limit ends sign in British Columbia
    Speed limit ends sign in British Columbia
  • Recommended speed sign
    Recommended speed sign
  • Exit recommended speed sign in Quebec; Anglophone signs read EXIT or RAMP
    Exit recommended speed sign in Quebec; Anglophone signs read EXIT or RAMP
  • Exit recommended speed sign in Ontario
    Exit recommended speed sign in Ontario
  • Metric signage reminder in British Columbia, posted near US border
    Metric signage reminder in British Columbia, posted near US border
  • Metric signage reminder in Quebec, posted near US border
    Metric signage reminder in Quebec, posted near US border

Review of speed limits

British Columbia

In British Columbia, a review of speed limits conducted in 2002 and 2003 for the Ministry of Transportation found that posted limits on investigated roads were unrealistically low for 1309 km and unrealistically high for 208 km. The report recommended increasing speed limits on multi-lane limited-access highways constructed to high design standards from 110 km/h to 120 km/h.[31] As described in that report, the Ministry is currently using "...Technical Circular T-10/00 [...] to assess speed limits. The practice considers the 85th percentile speed, road geometry, roadside development, and crash history." In July 2014, speed limits were adjusted on many of the province's highways, including some which were increased to 120 km/h (75 mph), currently the highest speed limit in Canada.[32]

Ontario

Speed limits on Ontario freeways were lowered from 70 miles per hour (113 km/h) to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) during the 1970s energy crisis[33] and remained at the nearest equivalent (100 km/h) upon conversion to metric measurements in 1977.

In Ontario, "speed too fast" is responsible for just 2.1% of road fatalities,[34] while "speeding" accounts for 55.4% of all driving convictions.[35] An Ontario-based group is lobbying to increase speed limits from 100 km/h to 130 km/h (81 mph).[36]

In 2015, the Ontario government announced a plan to reduce residential speed limits from the statutory default 50 km/h, either by reducing the statutory limit to 40 km/h or by giving municipalities the option to set their own statutory speed limits, as well as allowing posted speed limits in school zones to be lowered to 30 km/h.[37]

References

  1. ^ http://www.tourismpei.com/drive-to-pei
  2. ^ http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/rmv/handbook/DH-Chapter2.pdf
  3. ^ http://novascotia.ca/tran/roadsafety/schoolzonesafetyq&a.asp
  4. ^ a b http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/1951.htm
  5. ^ [RSBC%201996%20c.%20318/00_Act/96318_05.xml#section146 Motor Vehicle Act], R.S.B.C. 1998, c. 318, s. 147(1)
  6. ^ a b c [RSBC%201996%20c.%20318/00_Act/96318_05.xml#section146 Motor Vehicle Act], R.S.B.C. 1998, c. 318, s. 146(1)
  7. ^ http://globalnews.ca/news/1428309/speed-limits-going-up-on-some-b-c-highways
  8. ^ http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/03/b-c-speed-limit-bump-to-120-kmh-reflects-growing-consensus-that-faster-is-often-safer/
  9. ^ a b http://residents.gov.mb.ca/print,driving.html
  10. ^ http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/print,index.html?item=5575
  11. ^ http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/ps-sp/pdf/drivers_vehicles/driverhandbook/DH_part7_e.pdf
  12. ^ http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/ps-sp/pdf/drivers_vehicles/driverhandbook/DH_part4_e.pdf
  13. ^ http://www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/drivers/DriversandVehicles/driverLicensing/roadguide.pdf
  14. ^ http://www.dot.gov.nt.ca/_live/documents/content/13-04-17%20-%20Basic_Drivers_April%2017%202013.pdf
  15. ^ http://www.dot.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/RLS_FAQ.aspx
  16. ^ http://novascotia.ca/tran/roadsafety/schoolzonesafetyq&a.asp
  17. ^ http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/rmv/handbook/DH-Chapter2.pdf
  18. ^ Nunavut Driver's Manual (PDF). Nunavut Department of Economic Development and Transportation. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  19. ^ "Ontario Highways: A Brief Introduction - History of Ontario's King's Highways". www.thekingshighway.ca. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
  20. ^ http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/tpw_dh_full07.pdf
  21. ^ http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/english/Statutes/Statutes/T18-1.pdf
  22. ^ http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=0ac2e71b-d06f-4b82-8792-a3ef540a232e
  23. ^ http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/road_safety/behaviour/children/schoolbus_transportation/motorists.php
  24. ^ http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/road_safety/behaviour/speed/limits/index.php
  25. ^ Motor Vehicles Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 153, s. 140(4)
  26. ^ http://www.hpw.gov.yk.ca/pdf/Drivers_Handbook_web_BOOK_Feb7_2013.pdf
  27. ^ Motor Vehicles Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 153, s. 138(1)
  28. ^ http://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/070455
  29. ^ "United States Department of State: Consular Information Sheet for Canada". Travel.state.gov. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
  30. ^ http://www.bonjourquebec.com/qc-en/faqvoyager0.html
  31. ^ MoT Speed Review Report
  32. ^ "Speed limits on some B.C. highways to hit 120 km/h". CBC News. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  33. ^ http://www.thekingshighway.ca/faq.htm
  34. ^ "Table 2.8: Apparent Driver Action by Class of Collision, 2011" (PDF). Ontario Ministry of Transportation. 2011.
  35. ^ "Table 7.2: Motor Vehicle Convictions Related to the Highway Traffic Act, 2011" (PDF). Ontario Ministry of Transportation. 2011.
  36. ^ http://digitaljournal.com/article/323216
  37. ^ "Lower residential speed limit considered by Ontario government". CBC News Ottawa. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
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