Seat belt legislation in Canada is left to the provinces. All provinces in Canada have primary enforcement seat belt laws, which allow a police officer to stop and ticket a driver if they observed a violation. Ontario was the first province to pass a law which required vehicle occupants to wear seat belts, a law that came into effect on January 1, 1976.[1]
The laws by province
editThis table contains a brief summary of all seatbelt laws in Canada.[2][3] This list includes only seatbelt laws, which often do not themselves apply to children; however, all provinces and territories have separate child restraint laws. A subsequent offense may be higher.
| Province/Territory | Date of inception | Who is covered | Base fine before fees | Demerit points assigned | Usage[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Alberta |
July 1, 1987 | Anyone in driver's seat or passenger seat[5] | $162 | 0 | 92.0% |
 British Columbia |
October 1, 1977 | Age 16+ in all seats | $167 | 0 | 96.9% |
 Manitoba |
April 1, 1984 | Age 16+ in all seats | $299.65 | 2 | 93.8% |
 New Brunswick |
November 1, 1983 | Age 16+ in all seats | $172.50 | 2 | 94.8% |
 Newfoundland and Labrador |
July 1, 1982 | Age 16+ in all seats | $115 | 2 | 93.1% |
 Northwest Territories |
July 1, 1988 | Age 15+ in all seats
Passenger <15[6] |
$150
$200[7] |
2 | 84.9% |
 Nova Scotia |
January 1, 1985 | Age 16+ in all seats | $157.50 | 2 | 90.1% |
 Ontario |
January 1, 1976 | Age 16+ in all seats | $240 | 2 | 96.0% |
 Prince Edward Island |
July 1, 1987 | Age 16+ in all seats | $110 | 3 | 89.7% |
 Quebec |
August 15, 1976 | Age 16+ in all seats | $115–154 | 3 | 96.0% |
 Saskatchewan |
July 1, 1977 | Age 16+ in all seats | $165 | 3 | 96.8% |
 Yukon |
July 1, 1991 | Age 15+ in all seats | $75 | 4 | 78.1% |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Seatbelts Saving Lives In Ontario For 35 Years". News.ontario.ca. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators Standing Committee on Road Safety Research and Policies: Annual Monitoring Report 2010
- ^ "Transport Canada: Statistics and Data". Tc.gc.ca. July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ "Results of Transport Canada's Rural and Urban Surveys of Seat Belt Use in Canada 2009-2010". Tc.gc.ca. January 26, 2011. Archived from the original on November 20, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ Vehicle Equipment Regulation, Alberta Regulation 122/2009
- ^ "Northwest Territories Motor Vehicles Act" (PDF). December 18, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ "NWT Summary Conviction Procedures Regulations" (PDF). December 18, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2019.