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National Parks Highway Traffic Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1126)

Regulations are current to 2024-03-06 and last amended on 2010-02-02. Previous Versions

National Parks Highway Traffic Regulations

C.R.C., c. 1126

CANADA NATIONAL PARKS ACT

Regulations Governing Highway Traffic in the National Parks of Canada

Short Title

 These Regulations may be cited as the National Parks Highway Traffic Regulations.

Interpretation

 In these Regulations,

all terrain vehicle

all terrain vehicle means a tracked, wheeled or air-cushioned motor vehicle designed for travel over trails, marshlands, muskeg, sand, snow or trackless terrain; (véhicule tout terrain)

annual park motor licence

annual park motor licence[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

chartered bus

chartered bus[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

commercial vehicle

commercial vehicle[Repealed, SOR/90-79, s. 1]

Department

Department[Repealed, SOR/90-79, s. 1]

Director

Director[Repealed, SOR/90-79, s. 1]

fiscal year

fiscal year[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

four-day park motor licence

four-day park motor licence[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

gross vehicle weight

gross vehicle weight means the combined weight of a motor vehicle and its load, if any; (masse brute)

highway

highway includes a road, street, avenue, parkway, driveway, lane, square, bridge, viaduct, trestle or other place within a park intended for use by the public for the passage or parking of vehicles; (route)

local park motor licence

local park motor licence[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

motor vehicle

motor vehicle means any vehicle that is designed to be driven by any means other than by muscular power but does not include any vehicle designed to run upon rails, or to be drawn by another motor vehicle or an over-snow vehicle; (véhicule automobile)

night time

night time[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

non-profit charitable organization

non-profit charitable organization[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

one-day park motor licence

one-day park motor licence[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

over-snow vehicle

over-snow vehicle means a vehicle that is designed to

  • (a) be driven by any means other than muscular power,

  • (b) run on tracks or skis or both, and

  • (c) operate on snow or ice; (véhicule circulant sur la neige)

park

park[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

park

park, in relation to a motor vehicle, means the stationing of the motor vehicle other than when it is being loaded or unloaded; (stationnement)

park motor licence

park motor licence[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

park motor licence for a bus

park motor licence for a bus[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

passenger vehicle

passenger vehicle means an automobile, a motorcycle or a motor home and includes a bus converted to provide camping accommodation or a truck that has a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 4 550 kg; (véhicule de tourisme)

public lane

public lane means a lane in a park appurtenant to business or residential premises generally used by the occupier of the premises and his servants and agents for the loading and unloading of chattels, including garbage, necessarily incidental to the business or residential use of the premises; (ruelle publique)

scheduled bus

scheduled bus means a bus operated on a fixed schedule, but does not include a chartered bus; (autobus à service régulier)

seasonal park motor licence

seasonal park motor licence[Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 1]

senior citizen

senior citizen[Repealed, SOR/95-150, s. 1]

sidewalk

sidewalk means a sidewalk in a park and includes any walk or path bordering a highway and constructed for pedestrian use; (trottoir)

Superintendent

Superintendent[Repealed, SOR/90-79, s. 1]

trailer

trailer means a vehicle that is designed to be drawn along a highway by a motor vehicle but does not include

  • (a) an implement of farm husbandry,

  • (b) a side car attached to a motorcycle,

  • (c) a disabled motor vehicle that is towed by a tow car, or

  • (d) a trailer unit that is borne and rides directly on the wheels of a truck tractor towing unit. (remorque)

  • SOR/90-79, s. 1
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)
  • SOR/92-253, s. 1
  • SOR/92-546, s. 1(F)
  • SOR/95-150, s. 1
  • SOR/96-169, s. 1

Application

 The following provisions do not apply in any Park in the Province of Alberta, namely, sections 11 to 14, subsections 16(3) and (4), sections 20 and 21, paragraph 26(a), sections 27 to 29, sections 32 and 33, sections 43 to 46, subsection 47(1) and sections 48 and 49.

  • SOR/80-63, s. 1

 The following provisions do not apply in the Town of Banff or in the Town of Jasper, namely, section 15, subsections 16(1) and (2), sections 23 to 25, paragraph 26(b), sections 30, 31 and 34 to 39, paragraph 40(1)(d), sections 41 and 42 and subsection 47(2).

  • SOR/90-235
  • SOR/2010-23, s. 1

 The following provisions do not apply in any park in Newfoundland, namely, sections 11 to 14, subsections 16(3) and (4), sections 17, 18, 21, 22, 27 to 29 and 32 to 34, subsection 47(1) and sections 48 and 49.

  • SOR/91-479, s. 1

Licences

  •  (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall operate a motor vehicle within a park except on a highway.

  • (2) The superintendent may issue a permit for a specified period authorizing a person to operate the motor vehicle described in the permit on a specified trail or in a specified place or area in a park.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 25(F)
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)

 [Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 2]

 [Repealed, SOR/95-150, s. 3]

 [Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 3]

Special Permits

  •  (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall operate a truck that has a gross vehicle weight in excess of 4 550 kg or a scheduled bus on the Icefields Parkway in Banff and Jasper National Parks.

  • (2) The superintendent shall, without charge, issue a special permit for the operation of a truck or a bus referred to in subsection (1) on the Icefields Parkway in Banff and Jasper National Parks where the operation of that truck or bus is required for park purposes or for the conduct of businesses on that Parkway.

  • (3) [Repealed, SOR/96-169, s. 4]

  • SOR/90-79, s. 6
  • SOR/92-546, s. 4
  • SOR/96-169, s. 4

Provincial Laws

 No person shall operate a motor vehicle on a highway unless

  • (a) the person holds all licences, permits and certificates required to operate the motor vehicle by the laws of the province in which the highway is situated;

  • (b) the motor vehicle is registered and equipped in accordance with the laws of the province in which the highway is situated; and

  • (c) the person wears the equipment required to operate the motor vehicle by the laws of the province in which the highway is situated.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 6
  • SOR/92-546, s. 5(F)
  •  (1) No person shall operate a motor vehicle on a highway otherwise than in accordance with the laws of the province in which the highway is situated.

  • (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), in the event of any inconsistency between these Regulations and the laws of a province in which a highway is situated, these Regulations prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

  • (3) No passenger of a motor vehicle shall ride in or on a motor vehicle on a highway otherwise than in accordance with the laws of the province in which the highway is situated.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 7

Dimensions of Motor Vehicles

 Subject to sections 14 and 16, no person shall operate a bus, truck tractor trailer combination, truck, or a passenger vehicle and house-trailer combination on any highway within a park unless the unit conforms with the dimensions and gross weights approved for the unit by the province in which the highway is situated.

 The superintendent may issue a single trip permit for the operation of a motor vehicle having any dimensions or carrying any load, and a person in possession of that permit may operate that motor vehicle for the single trip authorized by the permit along such portion of the highway and under such conditions as the permit specifies.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 25(F)
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)

Disposal of Waste

 No person shall discharge or dispose of liquid or solid waste matter from a trailer or motor vehicle on a highway.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 8

Traffic Signs and Devices

  •  (1) The superintendent may mark and erect on or along a highway a traffic sign or device that

    • (a) prescribes rates of speed;

    • (b) regulates or prohibits the tethering of horses or the stopping or parking of motor vehicles or any class thereof;

    • (c) prescribes load limits and dimensions for motor vehicles or any class thereof or prohibits the use of the highway by a motor vehicle carrying loads in excess of prescribed load limits;

    • (d) designates the highway as a one-way highway;

    • (e) requires motor vehicles to stop;

    • (f) closes the highway to all motor vehicles or any class thereof;

    • (g) limits the hours during which the highway may be used;

    • (h) regulates pedestrian traffic;

    • (i) limits the use of the highway by horses or by a specific class or specific classes of motor vehicles;

    • (j) designates a taxi or cab stand; or

    • (k) regulates, directs or controls in any other manner the use of the highway by horses, motor vehicles or pedestrians.

  • (2) No person other than the superintendent shall

    • (a) mark or erect any traffic sign or device on or along a highway; or

    • (b) remove or deface any traffic sign or device on or along a highway.

  • (3) Every person using a highway shall obey the instructions on every traffic sign or device.

  • (4) Subsection (3) does not apply to

    • (a) a person driving or operating a motor vehicle for the park fire protection service when proceeding to a fire; or

    • (b) a person driving or operating a police motor vehicle, ambulance or motor vehicle that belongs to the Department when proceeding to the scene of an accident, or when using the motor vehicle for any emergency purpose.

  • SOR/90-79, ss. 9, 25(F)
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)

 Where any traffic sign or device erected pursuant to section 16 bears a regulatory symbol, the symbol has the meaning prescribed for that symbol by the laws of the province in which the highway is situated.

 Any traffic sign or device in a national park bearing the words “Government of Canada”, “Gouvernement du Canada”, “National Parks of Canada”, “Parcs nationaux du Canada” or any abbreviation thereof or purporting to have been erected by or under the authority of the superintendent shall be deemed to have been erected pursuant to these Regulations.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 25(F)
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)

 [Repealed, SOR/90-79, s. 10]

  •  (1) The superintendent may by order prohibit a person from

    • (a) parking a motor vehicle on a highway; or

    • (b) loading or unloading a motor vehicle on a highway.

  • (2) A person who receives a copy of an order made by the superintendent under subsection (1) shall comply with the order.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 25(F)
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)

 The driver of a motor vehicle on a highway shall, notwithstanding any traffic sign or device, comply with any traffic directions given to him by a police constable or any person appointed by the superintendent to direct the movement of motor vehicles.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 25(F)
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)

 Every person operating a motor vehicle within a park shall, on the request of a park warden, police constable or peace officer,

  • (a) stop the motor vehicle and give to the park warden, police constable or peace officer information respecting the motor vehicle; or

  • (b) produce for inspection by the park warden, police constable or peace officer any licence, permit, pass or certificate that is required by these Regulations or by the laws of the province in which the park is situated to operate the motor vehicle in the park.

  • SOR/90-79, s. 11
  • SOR/92-546, s. 6(F)

Parking

  •  (1) The superintendent may erect a sign that designates an area as

    • (a) an area where parking is reserved for persons holding parking permits;

    • (b) an area where parking is permitted for a period of time; or

    • (c) an area where parking is not permitted.

  • (2) No person shall park a motor vehicle in an area designated pursuant to paragraph (1)(a) unless he

    • (a) holds a parking permit authorizing him to park in the area;

    • (b) attaches to and exposes on the motor vehicle the label furnished with the parking permit; and

    • (c) parks in accordance with the terms of his parking permit.

  • (3) No person shall park a motor vehicle in an area designated pursuant to paragraph (1)(b) for any greater period of time than that designated by the sign.

  • (4) No person shall park a motor vehicle in an area designated pursuant to paragraph (1)(c).

  • (5) No person shall park a motor vehicle or a trailer on a highway for purposes of overnight accommodation except in areas or at locations designated for that purpose by the superintendent.

  • SOR/90-79, ss. 12, 25(F)
  • SOR/91-375, s. 3(E)
 

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