to go in Canada without a car is, to put it mildly, quite inconvenient. As you know, the distances here are very long. Therefore, from an early age, teenagers already go to a driving school to learn how to drive. From an early age, the child is taught the idea of polite and cultured driving. This is how the mentality that is so visible on the roads of Canada grows. Safety in the country first!
Local driving style is significantly different from driving in Ukraine or Russia. She is characterized here as calm, without various aggressions, by the way, “checkers” are obviously not practiced here.
Photo: nantonnews
Insanely polite, warning, neat and calm. They will always let you pass without any problems if they see you have your turn signal on.
There are no uniform rules of the road in this vast and diverse country – each province is characterized by its own speed limits and penalty systems. But still, there is a general set of conditions that apply to all territories.
Roads in Canada can be said to be at a high level. However, the road climate is quite severe in winter. Salt, falling on the asphalt, turns it white and can partially corrode it. To better preserve the coating, driving with studded tires is prohibited here.
Photo: roadtm
The worst quality roads are observed in Quebec – here you will find roads with only one lane of traffic in one direction. For this kind of populated place, this is indeed a problem. After all, taking into account the number of people and cars, there is not enough space, which is why there are traffic jams.
In other provinces, the highways are in good condition – in Ontario, highways are wide with two lanes at least in one direction.
New Brunswick has great highways. It is difficult to meet traffic jams, since there is a low population density and a small amount of traffic.
Photo: ctvnews
But in big cities, traffic jams become a serious problem. Every year, the amount of traffic is increasing, especially in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto.
Toll roads of Canada
Canada has both free and toll highways. When arriving in the country, it is very important to know exactly where toll roads are located, how, where and when to pay. You need to specify all these nuances when renting a car. It’s worth noting that most Canadian toll roads and bridges offer three payment methods: cash, card or electronic transponder. However, it is important to know that there are several toll roads that provide only an electronic payment method, and this should be taken into account when planning a trip. Well, let’s break down Canada’s most significant toll roads:
407 Express Toll Route – or express route, ETR 407. There is a section of highway that runs from Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 403 in Burlington. This is a private road, which does not have a toll freeway, that is, you will not be able to pay by cash or card. A transponder is required. Otherwise, you will be billed and charged a higher than normal fee. The camera records your license plate, automatically calculating the payment amount. And it, in turn, will depend on how far you drove the highway.
Photo: citynews
You can make an automatic payment with a free web account, or pay your bill directly from your bank through the following websites:
- https://www.bmo.com/main/personal
- https://www.scotiaonline.scotiabank.com/online/authentication/authentication.bns
- https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-banking.html
- https://www.hsbc.ca
- https://www.nbc.ca
- https://www.simplii.com/en/home.html
More detailed information is available on the website of this road.
407 Highway East is an Ontario provincial road that runs alongside ETR 407 from Brock Rd to Harmony Rd. This road also requires a transponder, but the toll is cheaper than the 407 Express Toll Route.
See prices here .
412 Highway. Highway 412, Ontario, also known as the King’s Highway. It is only 10 kilometers long, from Highway 401 to Highway 407. You can also use the same transponder as the private 407 ETR and Provincial Highway 407. You can already pay for this road with either cash or card.
Cobequid Pass. It is a 45-kilometer stretch of road that runs from Thomson Station in Cumberland County to Masstown in Colchester County. It can be accessed and paid for both in cash and by card through a toll booth. By the way, transponder options are also available here, using them you save almost twice. Cash payment with commission will be from $4 for a standard car to $24 for a large car or bus. But the electronic board (transponder) will cost less – from $2.
Visit the Highway 104 website for more information.
Autoroute 30 . This 161 km long Quebec freeway runs from Autoroute 40 in Vaudreuil-Dorion to Route 132 in Becancourt. You can pay both by card and cash at the St. Lawrence Bridge. Fees for a Category 1 vehicle are currently $1.40 and $2.05 for a Category 2 vehicle.
Photo: stringfixer
See more details on the website .
Highway 5. This is a 524 km stretch of road from the Trans-Canada Highway in the south to Highway 16, the Yellow Head route north.
Highway 5, British Columbia no longer charges tolls. We have included this road here only to inform you that this section of road is currently free. Old road signs may remain around this location, but they are not used.
Canada also has several bridges that charge tolls to the US, as well as those directly within the country itself.
Several border bridges are part of the E-Zpass system, which includes an electronic transponder and a toll. However, all bridges also accept both cash and card payments. At the bridges crossing the border, you can pay in both US and Canadian dollars.
Toll bridges crossing the Canada-US border:
- Fort Frances-International Falls Bridge
- Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge
- Blue Water Bridge
It is a two-span international bridge over the St. Clair River that connects Port Huron, Michigan, United States, and Cape Edward, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Water Bridge connects Highway 402 in Ontario with Highway 69, I-69 and Highway 94, I-94 in Michigan. It currently has the fourth highest number of vehicles crossing Ontario in the world.
Photo: pinterest
Cars pay $3.00 or $4.00 Canadian when traveling to the US.
- Ambassador Bridge
The Ambassador Bridge is a four-lane suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, United States, to Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Travelers must carry customs documents to cross the border.
- Peace Bridge, Bridge of the World
- Rainbow Bridge
- Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
- Queenston-Lewiston Bridge
- Thousand Islands Bridge
- Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge
- Seaway International Bridge
Domestic Canadian toll bridges:
- The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge crosses Halifax Harbor in Nova Scotia
- A. Murray MacKay Bridge, connecting Halifax Island with Dartmouth Nova Scotia
- Olivier Charbonneau Bridge, crosses Montreal’s Rivière de Prairie in Quebec
- Serge-Marcil bridge connecting to the A30 toll road in Quebec
- The Confederation Bridge connects the mainland with Prince Edward Island in New Brunswick.
Photo: flickr
Gas stations and fuel prices in Canada
Canada is the country with the second largest oil reserves in the world and the seventh largest exporter. It, in turn, is mainly aimed at America.
Photo: itc
Given the stable economy, locals consider Canadian gasoline prices high.
Fuel in Canada can become more expensive, on average, by $0.20 per 1 liter. At some gas stations you can see gas prices in cents, and the cost of gas in Canada looks like this: 110.7.
When refueling further from large cities and the center, then you can save. After all, the price in the provincial areas is lower, with the exception of Quebec. Here it is more expensive than in Ontario, prices fluctuate during the week, there is a periodic difference of 20 cents.
Still, after 11:00 p.m. prices are reduced in big cities, for example, in Toronto. In Halifax, the price drops on Friday. And having a discount card, you can save some more money.
Photo: travel drom
According to Global Petrol prices, the price of gasoline in Canada is 1.05 Canadian dollars.
The data was calculated for the period from March 16, 2020 to June 22, 2020. By comparison, the average price of gasoline in the world during this period was 1.54 Canadian dollars.
Gasoline prices in Canada here .
In Canada, “Regular” is considered the most famous.
You will find this brand at all gas stations. And their number is increasing every year. Therefore, finding gas stations in Canada will not be a problem. Most gas stations in large cities and on highways are open 24 hours a day. The largest oil companies in Canada include: Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada.
Needed car equipment in Canada
You always need to carry your driver’s license, insurance, which is mandatory here, and car documents.
Ukrainian and Russian licenses are valid in Canada for two months from the day of arrival, then local ones must be obtained.
It is necessary to transport children in a car only in a chair, however, in each province this rule is characterized by its own nuances. In some provinces, it is necessary to transport children weighing up to 18 kg in seats, in others, the growth of the child is taken into account.
The number of passengers in the car must be equal to the number of seat belts. During movement, all passengers must be fixed. The fine for non-compliance is about $750.
Parking in Canada
There are many paid parking lots in Canada, including both surface and underground. There are also free ones, but they will be harder to find. Next to each free parking there are appropriate signs that inform. It is worth considering that in case of incorrect parking, prepare to pay a fine starting from 20 Canadian dollars.
Photo: transport mos
In order to find out whether it is forbidden or allowed to park a car, you should carefully study the road markings and signs that indicate time restrictions and other parameters.
Parking in Canada is divided into municipal, private and residential parking. It makes sense to use the standard paid parking lot if you park for a long time. If for a short period, then municipal parking lots with parking meters are suitable.
Parking at a parking meter will cost, on average, $4 per hour, in a stationary parking lot for a minimum time of half an hour, you will pay about $2.
Private parking lots are mostly near restaurants, shops and supermarkets. Here, as a rule, parking time is limited to two hours. They are free for customers of these institutions.
Parking in residential areas is located in areas that are far from the center. There is also usually a time limit, about 1-2 hours.
If we talk about fines, parking at an intersection, at the exit from yards, and in a place for the disabled is a very serious violation. In that case, be prepared to pay around $100. By the way, fines are issued in Canada not by the police, but by a special municipal parking service.
Photo: transport mos
Interesting information:
- In Toronto, fines for incorrect parking reach an indicator of 2.8 million per year.
- For such violations, the city treasury is replenished by 95-100 million dollars during this period.
Traffic laws in Canada. Main features
It is worth noting that the violation of traffic rules in Canada is accompanied not only by monetary fines, but also by a system of points. From 1 to 7 points are deducted for each violation. Depending on the offense and the experience of the driver. If the sum of points reaches 12, then the license is taken away, establishing a driving ban. After some time, after passing all the tests, they are repeated. They made the wrong turn, turned on the main beam without reason – minus 2 points for driving into the opposite direction or exceeding the speed by 16-29 km/h. will take 3 points. 30-49 km/h – 4.
Photo: mapio
For dangerous driving, in addition to 6 points, you will also be charged a considerable amount of money, from $400 to $2,000.
This fine also applies to driving past the open doors of the bus with schoolchildren. And the whole point is that in this case it is necessary to stop at a distance of 5 meters in a mandatory manner, when the school bus driver used flashing beacons and displayed a “Stop” sign. If such a situation occurs on a highway where there is no dividing line, then drivers of cars moving in both directions must stop. This offense is taken very seriously.
As you understood, in addition to all accrued points, a fine is issued. It depends on road conditions and Canadian provinces: on average, the difference is $20-30.
Let’s look at some of them:
From $600 driving without insurance
From $370 for speeding
From $370 texting while driving, talking on the phone without special devices
From $300 driving without a license
From $170, they did not give way to pedestrians
From $170 they ignored the stop at the request of the police
From $110 overtaking on the opposite side, crossing a double solid lane, changing lanes without a signal.
One of the most serious violations is driving under the influence of alcohol, in which case the driver faces a fine and imprisonment. The maximum permissible blood alcohol level in most provinces is 0.8 ppm. The exception is British Columbia – here you will have problems even with an indicator of 0.5.
For a blood alcohol content of 0.8 ppm, prepare to pay from $600. In addition, you may be disqualified for up to 2 years.
Like all countries, Canada has a speed limit that is strictly controlled. So, on the territory of populated areas you can move at a speed of 50 km/h, outside the city – 80 km/h, on the autobahn – no more than 100 km/h.
Photo: drivinglaw
However, there are exceptions – for example, in Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alberta, you can find roads where the speed limit reaches 110 km/h. We do not recommend you to exceed the speed, because it is easy to get a fine even for a small violation, taking into account 5 kilometers.
It is worth paying serious attention to buses with schoolchildren. Across Canada, without exception, this car is considered the top priority.
If we talk about unusual manners, then it is worth considering that in the whole country, except for Montreal, you can turn right when the traffic light is red. But on the condition that the driver stopped beforehand and let all the traffic participants pass.
By the way, traffic lights are placed not before, but behind the intersecting street. At all intersections, there are definitely signs with the names of the streets – in fact, it is very convenient.
At unregulated intersections, there are “Stop” signs – the first to cross the stop line will be the first.
Here you can easily cross the solid line, provided that it does not create a dangerous situation on the road.
Speaking of pedestrians, all cars must stop and wait for pedestrians to clear the road — and they’re allowed to cross it, even in places that aren’t designated for that. In Canada, such behavior is allowed.
In some regions of Canada, drivers are required to drive with their low beams on at all times, as indicated by appropriate road signs.
What to do in case of an accident in Canada
Car insurance is required by Canadian law, as is the fact that all drivers must have liability insurance. The minimum amount is 200,000 dollars. The exception is Quebec, where the amount is $50,000
Photo: pratidintime
In addition, drivers must have medical insurance coverage, with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Any participant in a road accident in Canada must stop at the scene of the accident.
- Remove the vehicle from the general flow, turn on the emergency signal and put cones and an emergency stop sign
- Write down the main details of the accident: date, time, road conditions and approximate speed of the vehicle
- Exchange contacts with the driver, witnesses and passengers
- Get insurance information, driver’s license number and vehicle registration number.
- Take a photo of the accident site.
- Submit a report. Participants must report it within 24 hours to the nearest accident reporting center or local police station.
In the event of a major traffic accident in Canada, the police must be called 911. They, in turn, must also be informed of the need for medical assistance.
Before the arrival of the police, all participants in the adventure must be at the scene of the accident.