Overview

In 2019, Transport Canada announced that commercial motor vehicle drivers who cross provincial/territorial borders must use certified electronic logging devices (ELDs) to record their hours of service. To give the industry, provinces and territories time to get ready, industry was advised that the federal regulations would not be enforced until January 1, 2023.

As of June 12, 2022, Ontario requires certain truck drivers who operate within the province to use certified ELDs.

As of January 1, 2023, you will face penalties if you do not meet provincial ELD requirements when operating in Ontario. This applies to vehicles with licence plates from Ontario or any other jurisdiction.

Ontario will require certain bus drivers who operate within the province to use ELDs starting on July 1, 2023.

In most cases, if you were not required to complete a daily log prior to June 12, 2022, you are not required to use an ELD.

Who is required to use ELDs

If you were previously required to complete a daily log to record your hours of service prior to June 12, 2022, you must now use a certified ELD when operating a:

  • truck within Ontario only
  • truck or bus crossing provincial/territorial borders
  • truck or bus with licence plates from outside Ontario

Starting July 1, 2023, bus drivers operating within Ontario only who are currently required to complete a daily log to record hours of service must use a certified ELD.

Exemptions

You are exempt from using an ELD in Ontario if you are:

  • driving within a 160 km radius of where you began your day and return to the same location where you began (there is no limit to the total number of kilometres travelled within that radius for that day)
  • driving a school bus
  • driving a rented commercial motor vehicle, if the rental agreement is 30 days or less and has not been extended or renewed
  • driving a commercial motor vehicle with a model year before 2000
  • an employee or operator of a commercial motor vehicle dealership or manufacturer and you are driving the vehicle for the purpose of sale or lease. The vehicle must not be carrying a load or towing another vehicle, unless the vehicle being towed is empty and has at least one set of wheels on the surface of the roadway.
  • exempt from Hours of Service requirements defined in Ontario Regulation 555/06.

If you are driving outside of Ontario, be sure to check the ELD requirements of each province and territory you plan to travel to.

Penalties

As of January 1, 2023, you will face penalties if you do not meet Ontario’s ELD requirements, including:

  • fines between $250-$20,000
  • points on your carrier safety record that can affect your rating upon conviction. If you are registered outside of Ontario, details of your convictions will be shared with your home jurisdiction.

Certified ELDs

Transport Canada is responsible for approving ELDs.

Find a list of certified devices on the Transport Canada website.