Ontario opens truck inspection station near Thunder Bay
The Ontario government has opened a new commercial vehicle inspection station on Highway 11/17 near Thunder Bay. Located in Shuniah, the $30 million state-of-the-art facility is part of the province’s plan to improve road safety and deliver faster and better transit infrastructure in the north.
“The new Shuniah commercial vehicle inspection station will help reduce the risk of accidents, protect everyone on the road and ensure the safe movement of goods across Northern Ontario,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, minister of transportation.
The Shuniah inspection station will be equipped with technology to identify potential problems with commercial motor vehicles, such as underinflated tires and malfunctioning brakes.
“This inspection station will play a critical role in addressing road safety in our community,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay – Atikokan.
In Ontario, there are 34 inspection stations across the province where enforcement officers inspect the condition of commercial vehicles and monitor the behaviour and qualifications of drivers.
In 2023, the government increased its enforcement presence on Highways 11, 17, 144, and 101, with officers conducting more than 4,000 inspections and laying 3,200 charges, including 700 for speeding. More than 1,000 vehicles were placed out of service.
Have your say
This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.
Government spent 30 million on inspection stations but they were supposed to spend some money on rest areas on hwy 11 and 17 . As a government what is the facility for commercial truckers after Barrie ON to MB border . Drivers are stopping on single lane shoulders to pee and also most logs are stopping at Long Lac ON where one can laugh and cry at same time and don’t believe it’s Canadian highway . Drivers are being treated like 3rd class citizens . Those who are making the rules for trucks they never know what trucks means !! Shame
I’m an independent operator. If the province wants to increase safety, and better compliance to HOS, then the trucking industry in Canada needs look into the compensation aspect of the industry. The government should make freight brokers illegal. The cascade of freight down to the trucks takes the profits away, this is a Majour contributor to operators taking risks, and neglect to equipment maintenance. When the compensation is adequate then the operators would have the required cash flows to take the time and commit the required funds to maintain equipment. Truckers love their trucks. If there trucks are not fit, if the person is running outside of the HOS envelope, 9 times outta 10 it’s because the person is chasing money to make things work financially.
As a long time driver, 35 plus years, Ontario needs better inspections due to a lot of trucks should not be driving down the road. Truck enforcement is really lacking from equipment inspections to speed enforcement. What we go thru as a driver to keep our licence up to date you would expect drivers to know the rules. As soon as a blitz is going to happen all the trucks that would not pass an inspection park.