The Ontario government is set to raise the speed limit on 938 kilometres of the province's highways, with the aim of improving travel times and transportation efficiency. The speed limit increase will begin taking effect on Friday and will be implemented incrementally until September 30.
The increase will see the speed limit raised to 110 km/h on sections of highways 401 and 416 in Eastern Ontario, followed by sections of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) and highways 400, 401, 402, 403, 416, and 417. This will bring nearly 89% of the province's highway network up to the 110 km/h speed limit.
The decision has been welcomed by local mayors, who see it as a step towards reducing travel times and strengthening economic connections. King City Mayor Steve Pellegrini stated that expanding the 110 km/h speed limit will help people and goods move more efficiently, while also supporting a modern transportation network.
The speed limit increase is only being implemented on highways that have been designed and engineered to safely accommodate higher speeds, following rigorous technical reviews and any necessary infrastructure improvements. This includes the original design and engineering of most of Ontario's freeway network, which was originally designed to safely accommodate a posted speed of 110 km/h.
This is not a new policy, as the province previously raised speed limits on selected portions of highways in April 2024 and July 12 of the same year. The speed limit was also raised to 110 km/h on a 69-km stretch of Hwy. 69 between Sudbury and French River in July 2024, with the remainder coming into force by the end of the year.
The speed limit increase is part of a larger plan to improve transportation efficiency and reduce congestion on Ontario's roads. The province is also building new subways, highways, and GO transit to get Ontarians moving faster and has completed several major infrastructure projects, including the widening of Highway 400 and the building of the Bradford Bypass.
Stunt driving penalties will continue to apply at 150 km/h, while on the highway sections with increased speed limits, stunt driving penalties will apply at 40 km/h over the posted speed limit. The province has also implemented speed limit pilot programs on sections of the 402, 417, and QEW to explore new ways to improve traffic flow on provincial highways.
