Individual provinces differ in approaches to ELD penalties

Canada’s federally regulated carriers now face a mandate to equip trucks with certified electronic logging devices (ELDs), but individual provinces are taking different approaches when it comes to penalties and deciding whether to apply the rules to provincially regulated carriers.

The varied approaches have been highlighted in a chart developed by the Canadian Trucking Alliance, drawing on information supplied by member associations in different provinces.

Quebec remains the sole province yet to begin enforcing the federal rules that apply to trucks that cross provincial borders or the international border. Although any Quebec carrier would see the rules enforced as soon as they cross into Ontario or New Brunswick.

ELD enforcement
This chart, compiled by the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), highlights approaches to ELD enforcement. (Illustration: CTA)

All remaining provinces with the exception of B.C. and New Brunswick will issue fines to those who fail to comply with the rules, while those other than B.C. and Newfoundland will apply points to carrier records. Provinces other than Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are also threatening to shut down carriers in cases of “gross non-compliance”.

Federally regulated carriers have actually faced an ELD mandate since June 12, 2021, but the rules were not being enforced because of a limited number of certified devices. Unlike in the U.S., where suppliers self-certify their products, the Canadian rules require ELDs to be certified as meeting a series of technical standards.

Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, and P.E.I. are also requiring ELDs to be used by carriers who remain within their respective provinces.

“CTA is encouraging the supply chain to review and consider the impact of Hours of Service compliance on routes and shipments,” the alliance adds in a related notice.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*

  • Your chart left out the trucking north of 60
    Tipple of you folks in the south. No mention of the
    North of 60 ruling. I have heard of cases of drivers being
    In violation because they were operating north of the 60th parallel because the electronic log didn’t recognize north of
    60 rules.

  • The eld does not work well with hauling livestock. Most people would agree it’s better to drive an hour over in order to be able to unload livestock instead of sitting for 8 hours an hour from unloading. It’s common to run out of hours just before reaching thunder Bay when running east. And when you sit for 16 hours in a day and then start driving because your eld says you are good to go doesn’t work for everyone, because you are changing from a day shift to a night shift.

    • Im in the same boat you are i work for a live chicken carrier and we are facing the same issues their must be an exemption for livestock carriers to avoid dead loss

  • It’s not about safety. It’s about gvt control.Another burdensome regulation that will make trucking an undesirable profession

  • There are 4 types of contracts in Canada, one of them being mandates.
    A contract is anything written or spoken between 2 or more parties. There are 5 stipulations in a contract, one of them being mutual consent. No one can be held to a promise involuntarily made.
    Don’t take my word for it, look it up for yourself, print it off, and keep it with you.
    All DOT, RCMP, OPP, Peace Officers or other municipal law enforcement agencies are “for profit, private corporations,” not crown corporations.
    Do your homework. Start with “The Interpretations Act” on the government of Canada website. Search the definition of a “person.” The government of Canada is de-facto, (according to the govenor general) and is a private corporation.

  • Some of our older drivers, myself included, have trouble understanding much of this modern technology.
    My truck is still in the shop. I wasn’t aware I could use someone else’s log device. I thought each one was set up for that driver. Otherwise, why issue each driver with one instead of having a pool of them?

    • What is so wrong with falsification of a paper logbook? The government has told the untruth to to public for many years with no consequences.

  • I give high praise to my brothers and sisters who run over the road ,to brings us everything we enjoy. I been trucking for about 35 years now.
    I seen all kinda rules and updated to more regulations
    I stay local sleep in my bed at night and haul with in the Construction arena, allowing me to still earn more than above a livable wage.
    The system does not respect us as we put our lives on the line each and every day.
    We and the most important link ,the biggest in dimension by far .Yet no attempt for better pay or to educate the millions of other vehiclelar traffic about sharing the road safely with commercial vehicles.
    How on earth is that not a government policy?

  • All electronic logs operate illegally so why the rush to implement something that put drivers and other motorists at risk ..if you don’t know what I’m talking about by illegal ask any driver where the log puts them if they are in a traffic jam for hours at less than 5 kmh (off duty ). Totally illegal ,no way around that .
    So if you are ever dinged or hurt in an accident with a big truck remember this when you sue .

  • Runs from alberta(calgary or Edmonton) to Toronto and back are strongest pillar for Canadian economy and trucking industry, i don’t need 36 hours reset each side to complete trip and that’s Because of shortage of rest areas. i have compromise my drive shorter than 13 hours(30-50 min) avoiding the violation, causing me extra sleep to deliver.

  • Im a new truck driver. While learning to use the ELD, it proved to be a hindrance. The ELD didnt charge fast. And sometimes it didnt work as it should. There were many times I was hindered from delivering a load for a long period of time because of a milefunction of the ELD. I actually dreaded using it.

  • Personally I think this is another money grab. The roads are terrible to drive on to begin with and the truckers get the blame for any accidents that happen people cut them off constantly. I think the truckers should take a stand in this country and park there trucks and see how far this country moves to receive product to the shelves and maybe it will also cut the fuel costs as well not to mention the price of license plates to run there trucks and insurance it’s outrageous. The government needs to get a grip and give the truckers a break who kept this country running during Covid the truckers did. Truckers take a stand for what is good for you and any other trucker in this country.

  • Does this mean that the vehicle manufacturer will have to build in these devices ?
    Is this a way for the government to make companies hire more employees? Which is going to cost consumers more money and less wages for transport employees !
    Is the government going to pay for the damage of the device when it causes catastrophic damage with engines or electronics?

    This is not going to work for Motor Coaches especially ones that transport hockey teams want the local teams won’t be able to pay for the transportation ! They teams won’t like to pay now , this may kill local junior A,B teams !

    I think it is time to show unity and shut the whole process down by not transporting any goods , thus forcing the government’s to sit down with all and work out everything !

    Glad that I am out of this system now !

  • I’m a retired truck driver from BC, I have driven with eld logs for years Canada and USA no problem in fact elds are easier no mistakes.
    I of course had no mandated delivery times which made a big difference.

  • The CTA has no business speaking on my behalf. I will speak for myself. As of May 9 it was 50 years of safe driving without an e log. I will decide what is the right thing to do to keep my operation safe. Not the CTA. THANK YOU.

  • Remember truckers if you are only going within a 160 k
    Radius you do not need the ELD you can drive as many miles with in that 160 k radius from your starting point
    and not get fined. But the minute you pass the 160 k from your starting point it’s fair game.

    • You’re the only one I’ve seen that has mentioned the 160 km. radius provision. Also, return g to your starting point on the same “day” that you started and work for only 1 CVOR carrier/day.

  • ELD implementation and enforcement is paramount to providing the public assurances of safe transportation drivers on the North American highways. The fact the Quebec is dragging their heels is simply an ongoing lack of respect for safety and compliance with the rest of Canadian regulations.
    Without total enforcement by the authorities, transportation companies will continue to abuse the system to take advantage of the various jurisdictions lack of.
    Our company have implemented use of ELD’s with all of our drivers/owner operators without exception and continue to train and monitor its use in all jurisdictions.

  • Canadian Trucking is a pathetic joke at the best of times.
    However, few truckers realize how badly they are being cheated.
    The lowest paid are the Owner Operators.

    Unlike the US, each province has it’s own interpretation of law, many CVSE officers seem to behave autonomously under the umbrella of So-called safety enforcement.

    Some are Rude, Belligerent and worse, are Bullies With a Badge.

    Canadian Trucking will always be a joke.