The Ontario government is raising the speed limit from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on most sections of Highways 416 and 417 in Ottawa, as well as other provincial highways, by the end of September 2026. The new limit will be implemented incrementally starting Friday, June 26, through September 30, 2026.
Affected highway sections
Starting August 21, the 110 km/h limit will apply to the following sections: Highway 7 from Appleton Side Road/County Road 17 to Highway 417; Highway 416 from 1.5 km south of the Highway 416/417 interchange to Fallowfield Road; Highway 417 from Leitrim Road to Ottawa Regional Road 174; and Highway 417 from the Highway 416/417 Interchange to Highway 7. Notably, the stretch of Highway 417 between Highway 416 and Highway 174 will maintain its current 100 km/h limit.
Expansion across Ontario
According to the province, once fully implemented, a total of 938 kilometres of provincial highways will have the 110 km/h limit, a 43 per cent increase from the current posted 110 km/h limits. The changes build on a “safe and successful” precedent from 2022 and 2024, when speed limits were raised on 10 and six highway sections respectively. The province states that these highways have been designed to safely accommodate higher speeds following “rigorous” technical reviews.
Travel time savings
The province claims the increase will save “nearly half an hour” for drivers travelling from Toronto to Ottawa, and approximately 20 minutes for those driving from Sarnia to Toronto. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is helping get drivers where they’re going faster and safely,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, in a news release. “We’re going to keep supporting commuters, workers and businesses by investing in our $31 billion plan to build and expand roads and highways, so we can get people and goods moving across Ontario and keep workers on the job.”
Implementation timeline
Highway 401 and Highway 416 in eastern Ontario will see the increase by this Friday, while sections of Highway 401, 402, 403, 416, 417 and the Queen Elizabeth Way will see the change by September 30. The Ontario government says the move aligns with posted speed limits in other jurisdictions across Canada.
