Ontario motorists will soon be able to drive at higher speeds on several major highways as the provincial government moves ahead with plans to raise speed limits from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on approximately 938 kilometres of roadway.
The announcement is expected to be made in King City by Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, marking the latest phase of Ontario’s highway speed limit expansion program. The first changes will come into effect this Friday on selected sections of Highways 401 and 416 in Eastern Ontario. Additional stretches of Highway 401, the Queen Elizabeth Way, Highways 402, 403, 416 and 417 are scheduled to see the higher speed limits introduced by the end of September.
The move follows earlier increases implemented in 2022 and expanded further in the summer of 2024. Premier Doug Ford’s government has been reviewing additional highway sections to determine where increased speeds can be safely accommodated.
According to the province, the higher speed limits are expected to reduce travel times significantly. A trip from Sarnia to Toronto could be shortened by nearly 20 minutes, while motorists travelling between Toronto and Ottawa may save close to half an hour.
Ontario is also planning for future transportation projects with higher speed limits in mind. Both the proposed Bradford Bypass and Highway 413 are being designed to support a maximum speed of 110 km/h.
The latest expansion reflects the province’s ongoing effort to improve travel efficiency on major transportation corridors while limiting the changes to highway sections considered suitable for higher-speed travel.