Section 23: Liability insurance for commercial motor vehicles

Ontario

Highway Traffic Act

Part II: Permits

(1) No operator or owner of a commercial motor vehicle shall operate the vehicle or cause or permit the vehicle to be operated on a highway unless, in addition to the minimum liability insurance required under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, motor vehicle liability insurance in the amount prescribed by the regulations is carried for the vehicle with an insurer licensed under the Insurance Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 23 (1).

Non-residents

(2) If an operator or owner of a commercial motor vehicle is not a resident of Ontario, the insurance required by subsection (1) may be carried with an insurer who is authorized to transact the insurance in the state or province in which the owner or operator resides. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 23 (2).

Driver to carry evidence of insurance

(3) Every driver of a commercial motor vehicle shall carry evidence of a type prescribed by the regulations that the vehicle is insured as required by this section and shall surrender the evidence for reasonable inspection upon the demand of a police officer. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 23 (3).

Offence

(4) An operator or owner who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $2,500. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 23 (4).

Idem

(5) A driver who contravenes subsection (3) is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 23 (5).

Regulations

(6) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,

(a) prescribing the amount of motor vehicle liability insurance to be carried for a commercial motor vehicle;

(b) prescribing documents that may be accepted as evidence that a commercial motor vehicle is insured as required by this section;

(c) prescribing the form, amount, nature, class, provisions and conditions of the insurance required by section 23.1 and the nature of the evidence of that insurance that is to be carried in the vehicle. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 23 (6); 2002, c. 18, Sched. P, s. 10.

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, section 23 of the Act is repealed. (See: 2015, c. 27, Sched. 7, s. 11)

© King's Printer for Ontario, 2012-2021. The text is not the official version of Ontario's Highway Traffic Act or associated regulations. For official text, refer to www.ontario.ca/laws.