Making Our Roads and Highways Safer
Joint Forces Operation Team and Tow Zone Pilot will help improve safety and enforcement for Ontario’s towing industry
The ongoing violence and criminal activity in the towing industry is unacceptable and the safety of drivers and tow truck operators will always be our PC government’s top priority.
As part of our plan to increase safety and oversight of the towing industry, we are establishing a Joint Forces Operation team led by the Ontario Provincial Police and municipal police services to investigate criminal activity. This operation will root out criminals and ensure that decisive actions can take place to address incidents of violence in the towing industry.
In addition, we are launching a pilot that will introduce restricted tow zones on sections of provincial highways to help improve safety, keep goods moving and clear highways faster. The pilot is planned to begin in summer 2021. The tow zone pilot will help to reduce the time it takes to clear major incidents on our highways by ensuring the tow company that responds has the right training, experience and equipment to clear the incident safely and quickly.
Our PC government also intends to propose a comprehensive oversight regime of the towing and storage industry. We will set out minimum tow truck vehicle, equipment and driver requirements to enhance safety and improve standards.
Ontario’s towing industry is a vital service on our roads and highways every day, and these actions will help to improve safety for all drivers.