Ontario raising speed limit to 110 km/h on more highway stretches
The province is raising the speed limit on additional sections of highways in northern and southern Ontario, including a section of Highway 403 in Brantford.
Beginning July 12, Ontario will permanently hike the speed limit from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on 10 highway sections, which works out to 36 per cent (860 km) of the province's highway network.
More than 250 km of Hwy. 401 will be affected, while Hwys. 403, 406, 416 and 69 will also have the speed limit boosted for some stretches.
“Most of Ontario's highways were originally designed to safely accommodate speed limits of 110 km/h and the data from our changes in 2022 shows they do just that,” Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria said Wednesday in a statement.
“These evidence-based increases are a common-sense change to make life more convenient for Ontario drivers while bringing our highway speed limits in line with other Canadian provinces.”
The 10 km/h increase comes two years after the government
introduced the measure on six highway sections
Here's the complete list of areas where speed limits are set to increase:
■ Hwy 403 from Woodstock to Brantford (approximately 26 km)
■ Hwy 403 from Brantford to Hamilton (approximately 14.5 km)
■ Hwy 401, Tilbury, extending the existing 110 km/h zone further east by 7 km
■ Hwy 401 from Hwy 35/115 to Cobourg (a stretch of approximately 35 km)
■ Hwy 401 from Colborne to Belleville (approximately 44 km)
■ Hwy 401 from Belleville to Kingston (approximately 66 km)
■ Hwy 401 from Hwy 16 to Quebec boundary (approximately 107 km)
■ Hwy 406 from Thorold to Welland (approximately 13 km)
■ Hwy 416 from Hwy 401 to Ottawa (approximately 70 km)
■ Hwy 69 from Sudbury to French River
(approximately 60 km)
All highway sections were selected based on their ability to safely accommodate higher speed limits, the government said.
Stunt driving charges will continue to apply to those caught travelling at 150 km/h or higher even in the 110 km/h stretches.
Elsewhere in Canada, the government notes, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan have a maximum speed limit of 110 km/h, while the maximum speed limit in British Columbia is 120 km/h.