The year 2021 will have been marked by a major change in the passenger transportation environment in Ontario. Indeed, the Ontario government has taken the decision to abolish, in their province, the equivalent in Quebec of the Commission des transports. As a result, since last July, the Ontario Highway Transport Board (OHTB) has been dissolved. 

As a result, the passenger transportation industry in the province of Ontario has been significantly deregulated. What are the consequences for Quebec carriers who wish to go to Ontario? Following our discussions with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO): 

• Charter trips that required an application for a bus transport permit from the OHTB no longer need to hold this authorization. The OHTB no longer exists. 
• Intercity travel between the two provinces, considered intercommunity transportation by the Ontario authorities (pre-established frequencies and schedules, predetermined routes, etc.) remains marked by a few obligations, but, all in all, less restrictive. 

In this regard, as MTO told us:

« (…) Deregulation of the sector removes the economic route licensing regime for intercommunity passenger transportation providers, including those based outside of Ontario. This change allows providers to offer services without the need for a public vehicle operating license. In addition, an open passenger transportation market means that multiple carriers will be able to offer services on any route.

Intercommunity PTV (passenger transportation vehicle) providers based outside of Ontario are required to adhere to the same requirements as Ontario-based providers, including safety, insurance, and customer notification requirements. This also includes new minimum insurance, safety inspection, driver and vehicle registration regulations for smaller vehicles carrying one to nine passengers.

These legislative changes remove barriers for intercommunity PTV providers, both inside and outside of the province to grow businesses and introduce new transportation services to Ontarians, as well as those traveling to and from the province. (…) »

(Our underlines)

Thus, if you are a carrier meets the category of inter-community transportation and want to know all the changes and requirements that will now apply to you, we invite you to click HERE: Intercommunity passenger transport | ontario.ca

We take advantage of this, as a complementary point, to clarify that this deregulation does not affect the need to hold a compliant registration for transportation outside the province or the obtaining of IFTA stickers or occasional travel certificates (CVO).