OntarioDid Not Pass44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 49 explained in plain English

Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act, 2025

Transportation & Infrastructure Public Safety & Security Labour & Employment

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

How This Type of Bill Becomes Law Official source

At a glance

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Legislature / Parliament

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Session

44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill number

Bill 49

Full title

Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act, 2025

Current status

Did Not Pass

Latest event

Lost on division

Last updated

Nov 3, 2025

Sponsor

Guy Bourgouin

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 44th Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Current Stage

Lost on division

Latest Activity

Nov 3, 2025

Sponsor

Guy Bourgouin

Plain-language explanation

In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing

Short Version

Bill 49 requires Ontario to staff highway scales and inspection sites on Highway 11 (north of North Bay) and Highway 17 for at least 12 hours daily, ensures sufficient provincial police traffic enforcement, requires commercial truck drivers to be tested by certified examiners, and makes the Ministry of Transportation responsible for winter maintenance on these highways.

What It Means

Bill 49, the Northern Highway 11 and 17 Safety Act, 2025, is a private members' bill that aims to improve safety on northern Ontario highways. The bill makes three main changes: First, it requires the Ontario Minister of Transportation to ensure that scales and inspection sites (used to check truck weight and condition) along Highway 11 north of North Bay and Highway 17 are staffed with workers every day for a minimum of 12 hours. Second, it requires the Ontario government to maintain sufficient staffing in the Ontario Provincial Police to properly enforce traffic laws on these highways. Third, it changes the rules for commercial truck driver licensing. Before a commercial truck driver can receive an education certificate, they must be tested by an examiner who is certified by the Ministry of Transportation. The examiner must indicate the driver should be certified, and then the Ministry must issue the certificate according to regulations. Fourth, the bill makes the Ministry of Transportation responsible for managing winter maintenance (snow removal, road treatment, etc.) on Highway 11 north of North Bay and Highway 17. The Ministry can work with contractors and service providers to do this work. The bill comes into force immediately when it receives Royal Assent from the Ontario Lieutenant Governor.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Minister of Transportation to ensure scales and inspection sites on Highway 11 (north of North Bay) and Highway 17 are staffed daily for a minimum of 12 hours
Requires the Government of Ontario to ensure the Ontario Provincial Police have sufficient staffing to enforce the Highway Traffic Act on these highways
Requires commercial truck drivers to be tested by a Ministry-certified examiner before receiving a driver education certificate, with the examiner indicating the driver should be certified
Requires the Ministry of Transportation to issue commercial truck driver education certificates in accordance with regulations
Makes the Ministry of Transportation responsible for managing winter maintenance operations on Highway 11 (north of North Bay) and Highway 17
Allows the Ministry to work with contractors and service providers to carry out winter maintenance operations
Comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent

Who Is Affected

The Government of Ontario
The Minister of Transportation
The Ontario Provincial Police
Commercial truck drivers seeking to obtain or renew an education certificate
Operators and users of Highway 11 (particularly the portion north of North Bay) and Highway 17
Contractors and service providers hired to conduct winter maintenance
Transporters using scales and inspection sites on these highways

Rights, Duties, Or Obligations

The Minister of Transportation must ensure scales and inspection sites on Highway 11 (north of North Bay) and Highway 17 are staffed daily for a minimum of 12 hours
The Government of Ontario must ensure the Ontario Provincial Police have sufficient staffing to enforce traffic laws on these highways
Commercial truck drivers must be tested by a Ministry-certified examiner before receiving a commercial truck driver education certificate
The examiner must indicate the driver should be certified for the certificate to be issued
The Ministry of Transportation must issue commercial truck driver education certificates in accordance with regulations
The Ministry of Transportation is responsible for managing winter maintenance on Highway 11 (north of North Bay) and Highway 17

Important Dates

The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent (Royal Assent date not yet provided in the bill)

Financial Or Tax Impacts

Bill text does not specify the cost of staffing scales and inspection sites for 12 hours daily
Bill text does not specify the cost of additional Ontario Provincial Police traffic enforcement staffing
Bill text does not specify the cost of winter maintenance operations
No financial or budget allocation information is provided in the bill

Enforcement Or Penalties

Bill text does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms if the Minister fails to staff scales and inspection sites for 12 hours daily
Bill text does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms if the Ontario Provincial Police do not maintain sufficient traffic enforcement staffing
Bill text does not specify consequences for non-compliance with the commercial truck driver testing requirements
Enforcement mechanisms are not detailed in the bill text

Uncertainties Or Limits

The bill does not define what 'sufficiently staffed' means for Ontario Provincial Police traffic enforcement
The bill does not specify how many staff hours are needed beyond the 12-hour minimum for scales and inspection sites
The bill does not specify whether the 12-hour minimum applies to every single day or on average
The bill does not define the geographic boundaries of Highway 17 or clarify if the entire highway is included or only certain sections
The bill does not specify what regulations will govern the commercial truck driver testing and certification process
The bill does not specify whether existing staffing levels will be adjusted or if new staff will be hired
The bill does not include enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance
The bill does not specify the timeline for implementing these requirements after Royal Assent
The bill does not provide estimated costs for implementation
The bill does not specify whether responsibility for winter maintenance includes summer and fall maintenance or only winter operations

Laws Or Regulations Affected

Highway Traffic Act

amended

New section 5.5 added, requiring staffing of scales and inspection sites on Highway 11 (north of North Bay) and Highway 17 for a minimum of 12 hours daily, and requiring sufficient Ontario Provincial Police staffing to enforce traffic laws. New subsection 58.1(6.1) added, requiring commercial truck drivers to be tested by Ministry-certified examiners before receiving an education certificate.

Source: Sections 1 and 2

Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act

amended

New section 96 added, making the Ministry of Transportation responsible for managing winter maintenance operations on Highway 11 (north of North Bay) and Highway 17, with authority to work with contractors and service providers.

Source: Section 3

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.

Official text

Process Snapshot

Step 1

First reading

Jun 4, 2025

Step 2

Second reading

Nov 3, 2025

Step 3

Committee review

Not reached yet

Step 4

Third reading

Not reached yet

Step 5

Royal assent

Not reached yet

Vote Summary

Yes

Abstain

Absent / Other

Final recorded vote

Nov 3, 2025

101 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.

Sponsor

Guy Bourgouin

New Democratic Party of Ontario | Mushkegowuk—James Bay

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Representative Voting Breakdown

Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.

Representative	Role	Riding	Party	Vote	Notes
Guy BourgouinSponsor MPP	MPP	Mushkegowuk—James Bay	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Adil Shamji MPP	MPP	Don Valley East	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aislinn Clancy MPP	MPP	Kitchener Centre	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Alexa Gilmour MPP	MPP	Parkdale—High Park	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrea Hazell MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Guildwood	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Bobbi Ann Brady MPP	MPP	Haldimand—Norfolk	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine Fife MPP	MPP	Waterloo	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine McKenney MPP	MPP	Ottawa Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chandra Pasma MPP	MPP	Ottawa West—Nepean	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chris Glover MPP	MPP	Spadina—Fort York	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Doly Begum MPP	MPP	Scarborough Southwest	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
France Gélinas MPP	MPP	Nickel Belt	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jamie West MPP	MPP	Sudbury	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens MPP	MPP	St. Catharines	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer K. French MPP	MPP	Oshawa	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jessica Bell MPP	MPP	University—Rosedale	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Fraser MPP	MPP	Ottawa South	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Vanthof MPP	MPP	Timiskaming—Cochrane	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jonathan Tsao MPP	MPP	Don Valley North	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Karen McCrimmon MPP	MPP	Kanata—Carleton	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP	MPP	Toronto Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lee Fairclough MPP	MPP	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lise Vaugeois MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Superior North	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lucille Collard MPP	MPP	Ottawa—Vanier	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Marit Stiles MPP	MPP	Davenport	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP	MPP	Beaches—East York	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mike Schreiner MPP	MPP	Guelph	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peggy Sattler MPP	MPP	London West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peter Tabuns MPP	MPP	Toronto—Danforth	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rob Cerjanec MPP	MPP	Ajax	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Robin Lennox MPP	MPP	Hamilton Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sandy Shaw MPP	MPP	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephanie Smyth MPP	MPP	Toronto—St. Paul's	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephen Blais MPP	MPP	Orléans	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Terence Kernaghan MPP	MPP	London North Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Teresa J. Armstrong MPP	MPP	London—Fanshawe	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tom Rakocevic MPP	MPP	Humber River—Black Creek	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tyler Watt MPP	MPP	Nepean	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Wayne Gates MPP	MPP	Niagara Falls	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Amarjot Sandhu MPP	MPP	Brampton West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrew Dowie MPP	MPP	Windsor—Tecumseh	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Anthony Leardi MPP	MPP	Essex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Bill Rosenberg MPP	MPP	Algoma—Manitoulin	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Denault MPP	MPP	Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Pang MPP	MPP	Markham—Unionville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Riddell MPP	MPP	Cambridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Saunderson MPP	MPP	Simcoe—Grey	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Daisy Wai MPP	MPP	Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Dave Smith MPP	MPP	Peterborough—Kawartha	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Deepak Anand MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Malton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
George Darouze MPP	MPP	Carleton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP	MPP	Brampton East	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Andrea Khanjin MPP	MPP	Barrie—Innisfil	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Caroline Mulroney MPP	MPP	York—Simcoe	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams MPP	MPP	Brampton Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. David Piccini MPP	MPP	Northumberland—Peterborough South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Downey MPP	MPP	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Ford MPP	MPP	Etobicoke North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Ernie Hardeman MPP	MPP	Oxford	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. George Pirie MPP	MPP	Timmins	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graham McGregor MPP	MPP	Brampton North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graydon Smith MPP	MPP	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Greg Rickford MPP	MPP	Kenora—Rainy River	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kevin Holland MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Atikokan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson MPP	MPP	Huron—Bruce	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael Parsa MPP	MPP	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael S. Kerzner MPP	MPP	York Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta MPP	MPP	Mississauga Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Neil Lumsden MPP	MPP	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nina Tangri MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Streetsville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nolan Quinn MPP	MPP	Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Paul Calandra MPP	MPP	Markham—Stouffville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria MPP	MPP	Brampton South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho MPP	MPP	Scarborough North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sam Oosterhoff MPP	MPP	Niagara West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stan Cho MPP	MPP	Willowdale	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Crawford MPP	MPP	Oakville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sylvia Jones MPP	MPP	Dufferin—Caledon	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Todd J. McCarthy MPP	MPP	Durham	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Trevor Jones MPP	MPP	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Rouge Park	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Zee Hamid MPP	MPP	Milton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jess Dixon MPP	MPP	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Jordan MPP	MPP	Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Joseph Racinsky MPP	MPP	Wellington—Halton Hills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Laura Smith MPP	MPP	Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Logan Kanapathi MPP	MPP	Markham—Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lorne Coe MPP	MPP	Whitby	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Michelle Cooper MPP	MPP	Eglinton—Lawrence	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Mohamed Firin MPP	MPP	York South—Weston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Monica Ciriello MPP	MPP	Hamilton Mountain	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Natalie Pierre MPP	MPP	Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Paul Vickers MPP	MPP	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Ric Bresee MPP	MPP	Hastings—Lennox and Addington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Robert Bailey MPP	MPP	Sarnia—Lambton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Rudy Cuzzetto MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Sheref Sabawy MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Stéphane Sarrazin MPP	MPP	Glengarry—Prescott—Russell	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Steve Pinsonneault MPP	MPP	Lambton—Kent—Middlesex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Tyler Allsopp MPP	MPP	Bay of Quinte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Will Bouma MPP	MPP	Brantford—Brant	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.

Official sources

Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.

How this data is sourced