The Canadian province of Quebec has finalized its speed limiter rule and is on pace to have it take effect on New Year's Day, reports the Canadian publication Today's Trucking.


The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association blasted the move. Rather than waiting until all other Canadian provinces follow the position of Quebec, OOIDA, says, Ontario Transportation Minister Julie Boulet "has gone back on her commitment and announced they will require all heavy-duty trucks operating in the province to have an enabled speed limiter set at a maximum of 105 km/h starting Jan. 1, 2009."

On Dec. 13, 2007 during the article-by-article reading of Bill 42, Minister Boulet said that Quebec would not implement the speed limiter mandate until Transport Canada completed studies evaluating the effectiveness of speed limiters and all other provinces had agreed to similar mandates. Transport Canada completed and released its studies this past spring, but by no means conveyed a glowing evaluation of mandated speed limiters in Canada. (For a more in-depth look at those studies, see "Transport Canada Releases Speed Limiter Studies" in the August issue of Heavy Duty Trucking.

Ontario is the only other province to pass a speed limiter mandate. Today's Trucking reports that Ontario still not formally approved its own rule, but that is expected to happen shortly and the province hopes to mirror implementation with Quebec on Jan. 1.

"Our members are furious," said Rick Craig, OOIDA's director of regulatory affairs. "Not only is Minister Boulet going back on her word, she is also disregarding the grim implications this decision will have on trade at a time when Canada and the U.S. can least afford it."

OOIDA says it is prepared to file a Notice of Intent to Submit a Claim to Arbitration for breach of Canada's obligations under the North American Free Trade Agreement upon implementation of the speed limiter mandate.