Seasonal Loads

Under the Highway Traffic Act, the province enforces reduced load restrictions on trucks to protect Ontario's highways during spring thaw, when road damage is most likely to occur.

Last Updated: March 17th, 2026

Raw Forest Products freeze up period

The Raw Forest product freeze up period will be terminated on March 22, 2026 at 11:59pm, for the following areas:

Zone 1A

North of a line drawn through the following points:
  1. Highway 71 - at its intersection 54.5 kilometres north of the Junction of Highway 11 and Highway 71.
  2. Highway 502 - immediately south of its intersection with Cedar Narrows Road.
  3. Highway 622 - at its intersection 63 kilometres north of Junction Highway 11B and Highway 622.
  4. Highway 17 - at the south limits of the village of Upsala.
  5. Highway 527 - at its intersection with the Eaglehead Lake Road.
  6. Highway 11 - at Orient Bay, due east to the westerly Algoma District Boundary.
  7. Highway 11 - at its intersection approximately 2 kilometres west of the Pagwachuan River.
And following north of Highway 11 to the 50th degree north latitude, then due east to the Quebec/Ontario border

Zone 1B

South of a line drawn through the following points:
  1. Highway 71 - at its intersection 54.5 kilometres north of the Junction of Highway 11 and Highway 71.
  2. Highway 502 - immediately south of its intersection with Cedar Narrows Road.
  3. Highway 622 - at its intersection 63 kilometres north of Junction Highway 11B and Highway 622.
  4. Highway 17 - at the south limits of the village of Upsala.
  5. Highway 527 - at its intersection with the Eaglehead Lake Road.
  6. Highway 11 - at Orient Bay, due east to the westerly Algoma District Boundary.
  7. Highway 17 - at its intersection 6 kilometres west of Highway 631.
And following southerly along the westerly Algoma District Boundary to Lake Superior.

Restriction on permits

All annual and project overweight permits are not valid on any highways unless otherwise specified on the permit during:

  • March and April in Southern Ontario
  • March, April and May in Northern Ontario

For purposes of this restriction, the province is divided, west to east, by:

  • A line formed by the Severn River to Regional Rd. 169
  • Regional Rd. 169 from Washago to Hwy. 12
  • Hwy. 12, from Regional Rd. 169 to Hwy. 7, north of Sunderland
  • Hwy. 7, from Hwy. 12 to Regional Rd. 7B at Carleton Place
  • Regional Rd. 7B to Hwy. 15
  • Regional Rd. 29 to Arnprior

Single trip permits, for moving of overloads on highways not designated in Schedules 1, 2 and 3, may be issued, but are subject to axle controls established by the Ministry of Transportation.

Reduced Loads

Schedule 1

Pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, the ministry will impose reduced load limits for those designated parts of the King's Highways listed in Schedule 1, when appropriate, between March 1, 2026 to April 30, 2026.

None at this time.

Schedule 2

Pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, the ministry will impose reduced load limits for those designated parts of the King's Highways listed in Schedule 2, when appropriate, between March 1, 2026 to May 31, 2026.

Effective March 9, 2026 @ 12:01am

When signs are posted, the following Highways will have a Reduced Load Limit for their ENTIRE length:


510    518A   524    528    529
529A   534    538    539A   540A
542A   553    554    558    559
560A   563    567    607    607A   
612    630    632    637    639    
645    670    805    810   

Hwy 7041 - Whitefish Falls Road
Hwy 7042 - Old Wanup Road
Hwy 7044 - Old Cartier Road
Hwy 7045 - MacIntyre Road
Hwy 7085 - 29 Hill
Hwy 7088 - Havilland Shores Drive
Hwy 7089 - Havilland Causeway Road
Hwy 7090 - Harmony Beach Road
Hwy 7140 - Benny Road
Hwy 7152 - Golf Course Road
Hwy 7182 - Shebeshekong Road
Hwy 7300 - Sagamok Road
Dumont Road

Effective March 9, 2026 @ 12:01am

When signs are posted, the following Highways will have a Reduced Load Limit for these listed locations:

HIGHWAY NUMBER  LOCATION
Highway 129    16.2 km north of Jct. Hwy 554 to 48 km south of the south Jct. of Hwy 101
Highway 518    16 km east of Hwy 400/69 east to west limits of Sprucedale, and east of Kearney to the Twp. of Perry/Town of Kearney boundary
Highway 520    Hwy 124, north to the Hamlet of Ardbeg
Highway 522    Jct of 522 & E Rd/N Rd (Wilson/Hardy Twps) to Hwy 69
Highway 523    Jct. Hwy 60 at Madawaska south to Hasting/Nipissing County boundary
Highway 532    6.4 km north of Jct. Hwy 556 to end of Hwy 532
Highway 533    Hwy 656, northwest to Hwy 63
Highway 535    1.6 km north of Hwy 17 north to its end
Highway 539    Junction of Hwy 539A to Hwy 64
Highway 539A    2.5 km north of Hwy 539 Junction (Temagami R. Bridge) to end of Hwy 539A
Highway 540    Hwy 540B (west entrance), west to Meldrum Bay
Highway 542    Hwy 6, west to Jct. of Hwys 540 and 540B
Highway 546    0.6 km north of Jct. Hwy 17 north to end of Hwy 546
Highway 548    Maple St. (Hilton Beach) south to southwest limits of Richard's Landing
Highway 551    West Jct. of Hwy 542 south to Providence Bay
Highway 556    Hwy 532 to Hwy 129
Highway 557    2.7 km north of Jct. Hwy 17 (Jct. of Granary Lake Rd.) north to end of Hwy 557
Highway 575    Hwy 17 to 1 km south of Jct. Hwy 64
Highway 592    Savage settlement road Northerly
Highway 638    2.5 km north of east Jct. Hwy 17 (Rail Crossing), north to 1.3 km east of west Jct. Hwy 17
Highway 7082    Jct. of Hwy 17 to the Regional Municipality of Walden limits (4.6 km)
Highway 7025 (Shrine Hill Drive)    From Jct. of Hwy 60 at Hillcrest Ave. north of Wilno, easterly 0.8 km to Jct. of Hwy 60

Schedule 3

Pursuant to the Highway Traffic Act, the ministry will impose reduced load limits for those designated parts of the King's Highways/Roads listed in Schedule 3, when appropriate, between March 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026.

Effective March 9, 2026 @ 12:01am

When signs are posted, the Highway/Roads within the following Territories will have a Reduced Load Limit:

NORTH BAY AREA

Ballantyne & Laurier
Bidwell Lake
Eldee
Ellsmere
Laurier
Lount
Marten Lake
Memesagamesing
Mills & Hardy
Patterson
Phelps
Pringle
Tilden Lake
Thorne
Wilson & McConkey
White Pine
Wyse and Poitras
Yellowstone

SUDBURY AREA

Armstrong Lake
Britt
Burwash-Hendrie
Cartier
Chiniguchi R.
Dawson
Dill Secord
Downes Lake
Foster Truman
Fourteen Mile Island
Harris Lake
Hess
Kukagami
Lang Lake
Long Lake
Lost Channel
Madawanson
Ministic Lake
Onaping Falls
Red Deer Village
Robinson
Rock Lake
Trout Lake N
Wallbridge S
Whiskey Lake
Willisville
 

SAULT STE MARIE AREA

Aberdeen & McMahon
Aweres 1 S.L.B.
Aweres
Caverly
Dalmas
Devil’s Lake
Devon Landing
Esher-Como-Healy
Fenwick, Pennefather &
Vankoughnet
Galbraith-Morin
Garden Lake
Gaudette & Hodgins
Goulais Mission
Havilland
Hawk Junction
Horseshoe Bay
Kettle Lakes
Northland Lake
Patton & Montgomery
Peace Tree
Red Rock
Robinson
Sultan
Tilley
Vankoughnet & Aweres
Vixen Lake
Wabos
Wharncliffe

NEW LISKEARD AREA

Anima Nipissing
Bayly Marter
Beauchamp
Biscotasing
Blueberry-Munro
Bourkes
Bryce
Cane
Cairo & Alma Twp.
Crystal Lake
Eby-Grenfell
Foleyet
Gogama
Henwood
Horwood
Ingram
Lebel (Harvey) Kirkland
Lebel (King) Kirkland
Lorraine Twp.
Marquis
Marter
Mattagami Twp.
Ossian
Otto
Pacaud & Catharine
Robillard
Rainbow Lake Road
Savard
Sheraton & Macklem
Star Lake
Watabeag

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