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Using input from governmental and jurisdictional representatives and industry stakeholders, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) developed the National Safety Code (NSC) as a way to efficiently apply motor carrier, vehicle, and driver safety standards and procedures uniformly throughout Canada.
The NSC applies to those operating commercial vehicles, trailers, trucks, and buses on Canadian roads.
While motor carriers and drivers in all Canadian jurisdictions must adhere to the NSC, the standards are not regulations. The CCMTA and jurisdictional enforcement do not enforce the NSC. In order for the jurisdictions to enforce the standards, the jurisdictions must first incorporate the NSC standards into their respective acts and regulations. The jurisdictions are not required to adopt the NSC standards verbatim or by reference (although they may) but instead they use the standards as a guide when developing the regulations. This method of implementation allows for jurisdictional differences between transportation safety regulations across Canada. However, the basic principle of the safety standards is the same — to prevent accidents, injuries, and deaths on Canadian roads.
If new issues surface, or if there are circumstances in which the standards could be more effective, the CCMTA will periodically update the standards. Again, the changes are not enforceable by the jurisdictions until the jurisdiction updates the corresponding acts and/or regulations.
The National Safety Code standards are available for no charge on the CCMTA website.
The National Safety Code is comprised of the following 16 standards: