In June 2021, the government passed the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act (TSSEA). The TSSEA is designed to provide provincial oversight of the towing and vehicle storage sectors and will require tow truck drivers and tow and storage operators to hold a provincial certificate to operate in the future. The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) will continue to communicate regularly with the towing and storage industry leading up to the requirement to be certified, which is estimated to begin in 2023.
The TSSEA enables the government to create regulations to support the implementation of the Act. MTO appreciates the contributions and expertise that has been shared over the past couple of years by industry, stakeholders, and the public to support the development of the proposed regulations.
MTO welcomes you to provide feedback on the proposed regulations through the 30-day Regulatory Registry posting for the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act at: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=41091&language=en
The posting is available for public comment from March 2 to April 1, 2022.
In 2021, the government also announced additional actions being taken to improve provincial oversight of the towing and storage sector, including:
· Launching a Tow Zone Pilot program on sections of provincial highways in the Greater Toronto Area to help improve safety, keep goods moving and clear highways faster after a vehicle collision or breakdown.
· Forming a Joint Forces Operation led by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and municipal police services to investigate criminal activity in the towing industry.
· Improving data sharing between MTO and the OPP to support focused compliance actions with non-compliant tow operators through the Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR) program.
Together, the TSSEA and these additional actions will increase safety and enforcement, better protect customers, and improve standards for the towing industry.
If you have any questions, please reply to Towing@Ontario.ca.
