Actions tracking

Work with municipal partners to explore expanded operating hours for commercial deliveries using electric vehicles

Status: Actions tracking

What we heard

Commercial vehicles are not allowed to operate during certain times due to noise concerns. Electric vehicles do not have engine noises but are still covered by this regulation. Businesses may view this as a missed opportunity to conduct deliveries during off-peak traffic hours (which could reduce time and fuel requirements associated with traffic congestion).

Our plan

The Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games provided a unique opportunity to test the applicability of conducting deliveries during off-peak hours in Ontario. The Ministry of Transportation worked with 40 municipalities and over 100 businesses to conduct a pilot during the Games, which provided direct experience of off-peak deliveries (OPD) and demonstrated the benefits and challenges of the practice. During the Games, approximately 18,400 deliveries were diverted off-peak, however it was identified that there is no “one size fits all” solution to implement OPD.

The ministry will continue working with interested businesses and municipalities, upon request, to support off-peak delivery initiatives. As part of our long-term multimodal transportation plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, anticipated for completion in early 2019, we are developing a network to support the safe and efficient movement of goods. The Ministry of Transportation is committed to supporting an efficient and well-planned transportation system that helps in attracting investment and supporting Ontario’s economy. In the near term, Ontario will continue to work with interested stakeholders to support OPD initiatives through informal advice and knowledge sharing.

No action recommended

Determine if the review and change of vehicle safety and emissions requirements is required to ensure public safety

Status: No action recommended

What we heard

Vehicle emissions and safety requirements are perceived as not always enforced, leaving cars on the road that are at risk of breaking and injuring others, or polluting the air.

Our plan

Ontario’s Drive Clean program has been in place since 1999, testing light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles to ensure they meet Ontario’s emission standards.

If a vehicle is smoking, at risk of breaking and injuring others, or polluting the air, the public is asked to report the incident to the Spills Action Centre, and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change will investigate the issue.

As part of its Climate Change Action Plan, Ontario is investing in electric vehicles and low-carbon commercial vehicles and buses to reduce emissions in the transportation sector.

Review the frequency of licence plate sticker renewals for electric and hybrid vehicles

Status: No action recommended

What we heard

Licence plate sticker renewals for electric vehicles are required every two years, which align to requirements for vehicles requiring emissions testing. As emissions tests are not required for electric and most hybrid electric vehicles, businesses consider that renewals could be completed less frequently through licence plate stickers that are valid for a longer period of time.

Our plan

To support ServiceOntario’s Digital First Strategy, the Ministry of Transportation has undergone modernization to encourage online renewal, with further consideration to modernizing paper reminder notices.

Accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles is a key component of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan to reduce emissions from transportation.

Ongoing compliance checks with emissions are done bi-annually through the Ontario Drive Clean Program in order to renew licence plate validation.

Enforcement of vehicle emissions and of the removal or alteration of emission control equipment is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.

Consider reviewing and increasing speed limits on highways

Status: No action recommended

What we heard

The Highway Traffic Act's maximum speed of 100 km/hour is seen as being too slow for today’s cars, and as a result contributes to multiple issues such as a lack of appropriate lane choices for cars, potentially resulting in accidents.

Our plan

The Ministry of Transportation will continue to periodically review Ontario’s speed limits to make sure that they are appropriate, taking into account factors such as road design, traffic volumes and collision trends.

Review regulations to determine if the use of electric personal transportation devices should be allowed to operate on bicycle paths

Status: No action recommended

What we heard

Electric personal transportation devices are not allowed on bicycle paths or on the road in the same way as bicycles.

Our plan

At this time, the province is not currently looking to amend any legislation to allow any electric personal transportation devices on bicycle paths.

New types of vehicles and devices arrive in the market place frequently. The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) recognizes the importance of these new market innovations. As part of the commitment to support new and emerging technologies that can help move people safely and efficiently, MTO launched a new pilot to permit low speed vehicles (LSVs) on Ontario’s roads on July 1, 2017. LSVs that meet federal motor vehicle standards are only allowed on roads with a speed limit of up to 50 km/h if permitted by municipal by-law.

The pilot is intended to evaluate the use of LSVs over a 10-year period to examine their ability to safely integrate with other vehicle types and determine whether existing rules of the road are adequate.

The municipality is in the best position to determine what is best for the community’s needs. Many of the injuries sustained using these electric personal transportation devices do not involve a motor vehicle on a highway, but rather are collisions with pedestrians or stationary objects on sidewalks and bike paths. Some municipalities, including Toronto, have already passed by-laws prohibiting these types of vehicles in certain areas. They are in the best position to determine what is best for their individual roads.