Seasonal Loads

Under the Highway Traffic Act, the province enforces reduced load restrictions on trucks to protect Ontario's highways during spring thaw, when road damage is most likely to occur.

Last Updated: May 5, 2024

Raw Forest Products freeze up period

The Raw Forest products freeze up period is no longer in effect, for all areas.

Restriction on permits

All annual and project overweight permits are not valid on any highways unless otherwise specified on the permit during:

  • March and April in Southern Ontario
  • March, April and May in Northern Ontario

For purposes of this restriction, the province is divided, west to east, by:

  • A line formed by the Severn River to Regional Rd. 169
  • Regional Rd. 169 from Washago to Hwy. 12
  • Hwy. 12, from Regional Rd. 169 to Hwy. 7, north of Sunderland
  • Hwy. 7, from Hwy. 12 to Regional Rd. 7B at Carleton Place
  • Regional Rd. 7B to Hwy. 15
  • Regional Rd. 29 to Arnprior

Single trip permits, for moving of overloads on highways not designated in Schedules 1, 2 and 3, may be issued, but are subject to axle controls established by the Ministry of Transportation.

Reduced Loads

Schedule 1

Pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, the ministry will impose reduced load limits for those designated parts of the King's Highways listed in Schedule 1, when appropriate, between March 1, 2024 to April 30, 2024.

None at this time.

Schedule 2

Pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, the ministry will impose reduced load limits for those designated parts of the King's Highways listed in Schedule 2, when appropriate, between March 1, 2024 to May 31, 2024.

Effective Friday May 5, 2024 at 11:59 PM

When signs are posted, the following Highways will have a Reduced Load Limit for their ENTIRE length:

538    540A    546     553
554    558     560A    562
563    567     568     569
570    571     572     573
574    577     579     624
636    639     650     651
652    667     668     670
672    805     810 

Hwy 7036 - Potter Road
Hwy 7037 - Hanna Road
Hwy 7045 - MacIntyre Road
Hwy 7085 - 29 Hill
Hwy 7088 - Havilland Shores Drive
Hwy 7089 - Havilland Causeway Road
Hwy 7090 - Harmony Beach Road
Hwy 7122 - Mill Lane Road
Hwy 7152 - Golf Course Road

EFFECTIVE may 5, 2024 @ 11:59 PM

When signs are posted, the following Highways will have a Reduced Load Limit for these listed locations:

HIGHWAY NUMBER  LOCATION

Highway 129    16.2 km north of Jct. Hwy 554 to 48 km south of the south Jct. of Hwy 101
Highway 532    6.4 km north of Jct. Hwy 556 to end of Hwy 532
Highway 546    0.6 km north of Jct. Hwy 17 north to end of Hwy 546
Highway 548    Maple St. (Hilton Beach) south to southwest limits of Richard's Landing
Highway 556    Hwy 532 to Hwy 129
Highway 557    2.7 km north of Jct. Hwy 17 (Jct. of Granary Lake Rd.) north to end of Hwy 557
Highway 566    2 km west of the Montreal River at Matachewan to its end
Highway 581    Jct. Rimi Lake Road north for 6 km to Remi Lake Provincial Park
Highway 583S    From Hearst N Limits (3.6 km N of east Jct of Hwy 11) to end of Hwy
Highway 634    Cloutierville Road (3.4 km north of Hwy 11) to its end
Highway 638    2.5 km north of east Jct. Hwy 17 (Rail Crossing), north to 1.3 km east of west Jct. Hwy 17

 

Schedule 3

Pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, the ministry will impose reduced load limits for those designated parts of the King's Highways/Roads listed in Schedule 3, when appropriate, between March 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024.

Effective friday May 5, 2024 @ 11:59 PM

When signs are posted, the Highway/Roads within the following Territories will have a Reduced Load Limit:

NORTH BAY

Ballantyne & Laurier
Bidwell Lake
Eldee
Ellsmere
Laurier
Lount
Marten Lake
Memesagamesing
Mills & Hardy
Patterson
Phelps
Pringle
Tilden Lake
Thorne
Wilson & McConkey
White Pine
Wyse and Poitras
Yellowstone

SUDBURY

Armstrong Lake
Britt
Burwash-Hendrie
Cartier
Chiniguchi R.
Dawson
Dill Secord
Downes Lake
Foster Truman
Fourteen Mile Island
Harris Lake
Hess
Kukagami
Lang Lake
Long Lake
Lost Channel
Madawanson 
Ministic Lake
Onaping Falls
Red Deer Village
Robinson
Rock Lake
Trout Lake N
Wallbridge S
Whiskey Lake 
Willisville

NEW LISKEARD

Anima Nipissing

Bayly Marter
Beauchamp
Biscotasing
Blueberry-Munro
Bourkes
Bryce
Cane
Cairo & Alma Twp.
Crystal Lake
Eby-Grenfell
Foleyet
Gogama
Henwood
Horwood
Ingram
Lebel (Harvey) Kirkland
Lebel (King) Kirkland
Lorraine Twp.
Marquis
Marter
Mattagami Twp.
Ossian
Otto
Pacaud & Catharine
Robillard
Rainbow Lake Road
Savard
Sheraton & Macklem
Star Lake
Watabeag

COCHRANE

Brower

Casgrain
Coppell/Kendall/Way
Departure Lake
Doyle
Driftwood
Dunning
Fournier
Frederickhouse
Hallebourg
Hanlan
Hunta
Indian-Sand Lake
Kitigan
Nellie Lake (Aurora)
Norembega
Tunis
West Riverside

 SAULT STE MARIE

Aberdeen & McMahon
Aweres 1 S.L.B.
Aweres
Caverly
Dalmas 
Devil’s Lake
Devon Landing
Esher-Como-Healy
Fenwick, Pennefather & Vankoughnet
Galbraith-Morin
Garden Lake
Gaudette & Hodgins
Goulais Mission
Havilland
Hawk Junction
Horseshoe Bay
Kettle Lakes
Northland Lake
Patton & Montgomery
Peace Tree
Red Rock
Robinson
Sultan
Tilley
Vankoughnet & Aweres
Vixen Lake 
Wabos
Wharncliffe

 

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