The Province of Ontario announced the launch of a pilot that will introduce restricted tow zones on sections of provincial highways beginning in summer 2021. According to the release, the tow zone pilot will help clear incidents such as collisions or vehicle breakdowns on our highways more safely and quickly.
The province describes restricted tow zones as sections of provincial highways where a single towing company will be contracted for each tow zone. Only that contracted to company will be authorized to remove vehicles that require a tow. This means no other towing company can solicit towing of vehicles within a restricted tow zone.
The pilot will run for two years with the potential for two one-year extensions. The province will evaluate continuously throughout the pilot project to ensure it is effective.
The goals of the tow zone pilot are to ensure tow operators have the training, experience and proper equipment to clear highways safely and efficiently, to reduce congestion and delays on provincial highways by clearing the highway more quickly, and to help ensure reasonable tow rates for drivers by providing standard pricing and invoicing for towing services in the restricted tow zone.
Full details, including a map and description of the tow zones, are published on Ontario.ca.