Hours of Service Rules by Province: Federal Rules, Provincial Rules and Who Follows Which

Hours of service rules in Canada depend on where a truck or bus goes: carriers that operate across provincial or national borders follow the federal Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations (SOR/2005-313) everywhere, and drivers who stay inside one province follow that province's rules. Most provinces either adopt the federal regulation or have their own regulation built on the same daily limits.

The federal regulation applies to motor carriers engaged in an extra-provincial bus or truck undertaking. South of 60 degrees north it allows 13 hours of driving and 14 hours on duty in a day, requires at least 10 hours off duty a day, and bars driving once 16 hours have passed since the last 8 consecutive hours off duty. Drivers follow Cycle 1 (70 hours in 7 days) or Cycle 2 (120 hours in 14 days).

The table shows the rule for drivers who stay within each province or territory, and whether that province requires an ELD for them, as each official page states it. Where we could not confirm a point on an official page, the row says so.

Under SOR/2005-313, a driver south of 60 degrees north may not drive after 13 hours of driving or 14 hours on duty in a day (section 12), must then take 8 consecutive hours off duty (section 13), and may not drive once 16 hours have elapsed since the last 8-hour break. At least 10 hours off duty are required each day, including 2 hours outside the 8-hour block (section 14).

Cycle 1 allows 70 hours on duty in 7 days, and Cycle 2 allows 120 hours in 14 days, with 24 consecutive hours off before reaching 70 hours (sections 26 and 27). A cycle resets after 36 hours off for Cycle 1 or 72 hours off for Cycle 2 (section 28).

North of 60 degrees north the limits are longer: 8 consecutive hours off duty are required after 15 hours of driving or 18 hours on duty, no driving after 20 hours have elapsed, and Cycle 1 allows 80 hours in 7 days. Our guide Canada Hours of Service Rules: Cycles and the 13-Hour Limit walks through the federal rules with examples and compares them with the US rules.

Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador each have their own hours of service regulation. Where we could read the text, the daily limits match the federal ones: Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador all set 13 hours of driving in a day, and Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador add 14 hours on duty. Quebec also uses the same two cycles, 70 hours in 7 days and 120 hours in 14 days.

Alberta's regulation covers a narrower group than the federal one. It applies to vehicles that operate only within Alberta and are registered at 11,794 kg or more, or seat 11 or more persons including the driver, while the federal rules cover trucks over 4,500 kg and buses designed for more than 10 people that cross borders. British Columbia exempts non-passenger vehicles under 11,795 kg that operate solely in the province.

New Brunswick adopts the federal regulation by reference, as amended from time to time, and adds exemptions for recreational vehicles, snow removal vehicles, school buses and utility vehicles on emergency repairs. Manitoba states that the same general rules apply to federal and provincial carriers, and Saskatchewan has separate provincial regulations for carriers that stay in the province.

It depends on the province. Ontario requires certified ELDs for certain truck drivers operating within the province since June 12, 2022, with penalties since January 1, 2023, whatever the plate. Quebec made the dispositif de consignation électronique (DCE) mandatory on April 30, 2023, through an amendment to its own regulation.

Alberta and Nova Scotia say carriers that operate only in the province and are not federally regulated do not need ELDs at this time, and Manitoba says provincial carriers are not mandated to use them. Federally regulated carriers need a certified ELD in every province: see Canada Approved ELD List: Are ELDs Mandatory, and Who Must Comply? and Canada's ELD Mandate: Dates and How It Differs From the US.

An ELD app connected to the engine records driving time automatically, shows each driver the hours left in the day and the cycle, and produces the record of duty status an officer asks for at roadside. For a carrier with both provincial and federal drivers, the same app can run each driver on the ruleset that applies.

The GPS tracking device behind the ELD also keeps trip history and location, which helps a safety manager check a log against where the truck actually went. GPS fleet tracking reports show who is close to a limit before a violation, and a truck camera system adds video when a harsh event or collision is recorded, which matters for the carrier's safety record.

High Point GPS is a Montreal fleet telematics company and Geotab partner, founded in 2013, that installs and supports GPS tracking, ELD compliance and cameras for over 500 fleets across Canada and the United States, in English and French. Use the free quote form on this page: select Get a free quote and tell us about your fleet.