In May and June, social media users and clickbait websites promoted claims of a major "overhaul" in federal driving laws set to begin July 1, 2025. The supposed countrywide changes included reducing the legal limit for blood-alcohol concentration and enforcing school-zone speed limits at all hours of the day, every day. These claims are false. Police say there are no countrywide traffic law changes coming for July 1, as most traffic rules are set at the provincial, territorial and municipal level.Ìý
THE CLAIMS
"Canada’s Driving Law Overhaul Starts July 2025 – Important Changes Explained for Drivers" reads the headline of a from June 1. The post leads with an image of Prime Minister Mark Carney with overlaid text reading "breaking news."
The post goes on to outline countrywide changes to road safety laws under what it called the "New Canada Driving Law 2025."Â
The post includes a table with five "key changes" to driving laws:
- Enforcing 30-kilometre-per-hour school-zone speed limits all day, every day.
- Setting distracted driving fines at $600 or higher for repeat offenders.
- Lowering the impaired driving blood-alcohol concentration limit to 0.05.
- Creating federal pedestrian protection zones.
- Making advanced driver assistance systems mandatory in new vehicles.
The same claims were found on multiple based outside Canada, and were amplified by users across .Ìý
RATING: False
There are no countrywide changes to traffic laws coming July 1, an RCMP said on Thursday.Ìý
"Some disreputable websites are claiming that all ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø school zones will be in effect 24/7 starting July 1, 2025. These websites are completely wrong, and social media and AI are amplifying the misinformation," Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol said in the release.Ìý
"School zones are a provincial jurisdiction. There are no sweeping changes coming for Canada."
The news release highlights , which states that "between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a day school is regularly held, a vehicle on a highway where signs are displayed stating a speed limit of 30 km/h or on which the numerals '30' are prominently shown, must drive at a rate of speed not exceeding 30 km/h while approaching, passing or in the vicinity, as indicated by the signs, of the school to which the signs relate."
Speed limits, distracted driving fines and pedestrian safety standards are all either at the provincial, territorial or municipal levels. Â
Federally, Canada has the , which regulates "the manufacture and importation of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment to reduce the risk of death, injury and damage to property and the environment," but does not touch on traffic rules.
While Transport Canada is to the Motor Vehicle Safety Act that would require advanced driver assistance systems be fitted on newly manufactured vehicles, no such legislation has been passed.Ìý
Canada's Criminal Code covers serious driving offences, including impaired driving.Ìý
The is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 0.08. However, will levy penalties for a blood-alcohol concentration between 0.05 and 0.079.
SOURCES
Kim. Canada’s Driving Law Overhaul Starts July 2025 – Important Changes Explained for Drivers. Direct Project archived . June 1, 2025
Zoha. Canada's New Driving Law Stars July 2025 – Important Changes Every Driver Should Know. MRAMC archived . June 26, 2025
Claims posted to June 1, 2025 () and June 1, 2025 ()
BC Highway Patrol. No, school zones are not changing to 24/7. B.C. RCMP . June 26, 2025 ()
Section 147 — Schools and playgrounds. . Accessed June 27, 2025 ()
Lewis N. Klar. Traffic Law in Canada. The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Encyclopedia . Sept. 13, 2016 ()
Road safety initiatives planned for April 2024 – April 2026. Transport Canada . Accessed June 27, 2025 ()
Section 320 – Operation while impaired. Canada's Criminal Code. Justice Laws . Accessed June 27, 2025 ()
Federal penalties for impaired driving. Alberta . Accessed June 27, 2025 ()
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