The following is a selected except from the Ontario Regulation Registry on regulation 366/09 of the Highway Traffic Act. Request for comments and review closes June 15, 2017.
On January 1, 2018, specific time-limited exemptions for the holding and use of two-way radios outlined in Ontario Reg. 366/09 – Display Screens and Hand-Held Devices are set to expire. These exemptions currently allow the following to hold or use a two-way radio:
- Certain public function employees (eg., bus drivers);
- Commercial drivers;
- Amateur radio operators (eg., an Industry Canada-licensed operator which could include a commercial driver).
In the absence of any further amendments to the current regulation, expiration of this exemption would prohibit the hand-held use of two-way radios for all road users (aside from law enforcement outlined in the current regulation). For this reason, the ministry is considering three options to address the expiry of the exemption.
- Extend the exemption for hand-held use of two-way radios for an additional seven years.
- Make the exemption permanent.
- Allow the exemption to expire (making hand-held use of devices illegal and requiring all currently exempted drivers to use hands-free alternatives only).
For more detailed information, please see the attached backgrounder.
The ministry invites any comments on the expiry of the exemption, as well as any additional suggestions or comments on how the ministry could minimize distracted driving while supporting economic growth and prosperity in the province.
Feel free to visit the page on the review for further information. If you have comments or suggestions before June 15, 2017 go visit the article and click the link at the bottom to “Comment on this proposal via email”. This will take you to an online form to submit your comments.