Enforcement

To permit the police to function effectively, they’ve been given certain powers. You're required to comply with the requests or demands of the police when they are carrying out their duties.

Stopping when signalled by police

Police can signal you to stop using their red/blue lights, a special stop light, voice commands or hand signals. You must pull over as close to the right-hand edge of the road as possible and stop before entering the next intersection.

Producing driver's licence and registration

If requested, you must show the police your driver's licence and vehicle registration. If you don't have them with you, the police may allow you up to 48 hours to produce them.

Unsafe vehicles

The police may require you to submit your vehicle for a safety inspection. If they find that your vehicle is unsafe, they can order you to take it off the road and to not drive it until it has been repaired.

Vehicle impoundments

If a vehicle is being operated in violation of traffic laws, or presents a hazard by being parked within the traveled portion of a roadway, it may be impounded by police under the SGI Vehicle Impoundment Program.

Impoundments are based on the actions of the driver. Any vehicle can be impounded, including passenger vehicles, trucks and commercial vehicles.

There are three types of impoundments:

1. Impaired driving impoundments – Includes both drug and alcohol impairment.
2. Unauthorized driver impoundments– Includes driving while suspended or without a valid driver’s licence. The vehicle will be impounded for 30 days, if it’s the driver’s second occurrence in a two-year period the impound length is 60 days.
3. Rules of the road impoundments – Vehicles will be seized when drivers commit certain high-risk offences. These offences contribute to unsafe roads and impact the severity of collisions. Anyone stopped by law enforcement who is being charged with an offence, meeting the criteria outlined in the following charts, will have the vehicle they are driving impounded for the following impoundment terms.

The vehicle will be impounded even if you’re not the owner. All towing and storage costs are the responsibility of the vehicle owner. The owner of the impounded vehicle may recover from a driver, in any manner authorized by law, any amount the owner has paid to recover their motor vehicle.

An application to the Highway Traffic Board can be made to have a vehicle released early from impoundment in certain limited circumstances. If your vehicle was stolen at the time of the impoundment, please contact SGI at 1-844-855-2744 with your police file number as soon as possible.

Impaired driving

Drivers who are impaired by alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both may be subject to severe consequences. Consequences apply even if the driver is not found criminally impaired, but exceeded the provincial limits.

If a driver is found to have exceeded the provincial limit, the severity of the consequences are determined based on how many administrative suspensions have been issued in the past 10 years, and whether they are considered a new driver or an experienced driver.

If a driver is found to be criminally impaired, the consequences are more severe, and apply to all drivers.

New driver roadside administrative licence suspensions

New drivers caught with any detectable amount of alcohol or drugs will be suspended at roadside and face other consequences such as vehicle impoundment and mandatory ignition interlock.

There is zero tolerance for alcohol for new drivers, and zero tolerance for drugs for both new and experienced drivers.

New drivers are:

• 21 years of age and under
• Learner (Class 7)
• Class 5 Novice 1 and Novice 2
• Endorsement 6, M1, or M2 (while operating a motorcycle)
• no licence in the last five years
• out-of-country drivers (when equivalent Class cannot be determined)
• Restricted drivers

New drivers who receive roadside suspensions and who are transporting passengers under 16 will receive an increased vehicle impoundment length. The following chart outlines the suspensions and consequences for new driver roadside administrative licence suspensions.

Experienced driver roadside administrative licence suspensions

Experienced drivers (any driver age 22 years and over that is not in the GDL program and holds a Class 5 or higher licence) who register a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level exceeding .04 to .08 and/or are impaired by drugs will lose their licence and face other consequences such as vehicle impoundment and mandatory ignition interlock.

If you hold an ignition interlock restricted licence or a special restricted licence you will receive the same penalties as a new driver and should refer to the chart on page 148.

Experienced drivers who receive roadside suspensions while transporting passengers under the age of 16 will receive an increased suspension and vehicle impoundment length. The following chart outlines the suspensions and consequences for experienced driver roadside administrative licence suspensions.

Indefinite roadside administrative licence suspensions

If you’re charged with a criminal impaired driving offence you lose your licence immediately and face other consequences like vehicle impoundment. The immediate roadside licence suspension is indefinite and remains in effect until your charges are resolved in court. You may be eligible to reinstate your driving privileges early by voluntarily installing an alcohol-sensing ignition interlock device in your vehicle. To be eligible, your charge must be alcohol-related and you must serve at least 90 days of your indefinite suspension.

The chart in Section 8.2 - The Criminal Code of Canada outlines the consequences for drivers who are convicted of a criminal impaired driving offence.