Ontario drivers will soon be able to legally drive 110 km/h on nearly nine out of every 10 provincial highways — but not everyone is convinced faster is better.
Premier Doug Ford’s government announced Wednesday it’s raising the speed limit on an additional 938 kilometres of highways, saying the change could shave up to 30 minutes off some trips and better reflect the speeds the roads were originally designed for.
“Increasing speed limits where it can be done safely is a practical, common-sense approach that reflects modern vehicle standards and helps improve the movement of people and goods across our province,” Stephen Lecce, MPP for King—Vaughan, said in a statement shared by the province.
Online, however, many Ontarians debated whether higher speed limits will actually make roads safer or simply encourage even faster driving.
The province said the decision to raise speed limits on select highway sections builds on a pilot project that started back in 2019, when three stretches of highway were tested with higher limits and closely monitored.
The changes won’t be rolled out all at once. Instead, speed limit increases will be announced gradually between late June and Sept. 30, 2026, as more sections are brought up to 110 km/h.
In an effort to address public concern, Ontario pointed to its long-standing road safety record. The province noted that for more than 25 years, its roads have ranked among the safest in North America, with one of the lowest fatality rates per 10,000 licensed drivers.
‘Higher speeds are related to increased serious injury and death’
As Ontario begins rolling out higher highway speed limits across much of the province, road safety advocates say the move is already sparking concern among the public, and not just online.
“Evidence shows that higher speeds are related to increased serious injury and death on our roads,” said Stephanie Cowle, director of knowledge at Parachute, a national road injury prevention organization. “We need to think about the goals of our transportation system not to move people as fast as possible, but to move people safely.”
Even raising the speed limit by 10 km/h can have real consequences when it comes to crash risk and severity, she said.
“It’s a pretty significant increase. This can significantly increase the risk and severity of collisions,” she said. “We do need a balance between good systems, options for people to move, but also protect people who use our roads.”
Research and past policy changes suggest drivers tend to adjust their behaviour when limits go up. Cowle pointed to British Columbia’s 2014 decision to raise highway speeds to 110 km/h, where observed travel speeds also increased.
“We do anticipate that that change will happen,” she said. “And we know that higher speeds lead to more crashes and more severe crashes.”
Her message to drivers as the rollout begins is simple: Stay mindful behind the wheel.
“Managing your speed, even with a limit increase, is really important,” she said. “Think about the time that you need to stop if something changes. Keep your focus on driving, avoid distractions and, of course, never drive impaired.”
Cowle also noted that speed remains one of the leading factors in fatal collisions in Ontario and across Canada. She added that Ministry of Transportation data shows more than one in five road deaths in the province are speed related.
A road safety expert reminds drivers to stay mindful behind the wheel as Ford plans to raise highway speed limits in Ontario. (Getty Images)
(Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images)Frustration, support, skepticism: Mixed reaction from Ontarians
Online reaction to Ontario’s decision to raise highway speed limits came flooding in within hours of the announcement. Some drivers welcomed the change and called it long overdue; others questioned whether faster limits would actually make roads safer and pointed to other more pressing issues the province should prioritize.
One social media user suggested that increased speed limits will encourage drivers to speed even more.
Screengrab of X comment courtesy: @patgagnon_75/X
Another noted that vehicles are constantly improving in safety standards and called the increase “about time.”
Some Ontarians are questioning whether the province is focusing on the right priorities, asking if “speed and booze” are under focus over other pressing issues.
Screengrab of X comment courtesy: @StewartGreen81/X
One commenter’s post slammed Ontario’s decision to raise speed limits, arguing that higher speeds will inevitably lead to more accidents and fatalities.
Screengrab of X comment courtesy: @LizMcCutcheon3/X
Another person’s post gained attention as people in the comments section debated the province’s decision to raise highway speed limits. Some argued it misses more urgent issues, such as housing affordability.
Screengrab of X comment courtesy @CryptbubuA/X
One commenter raised concerns about raising speed limits on northern highways, pointing to already poor maintenance and saying it could make roads even more dangerous.
Screengrab of X comment courtesy: @ankatea/X