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 13th, 2025Raw Forest Products freeze up period
The Raw Forest products freeze up period is in effect for the following areas:
ZONE 1A
North of a line drawn through the following points:
- Highway 71 - at its intersection 54.5 kilometres north of the Junction of Highway 11 and Highway 71.
- Highway 502 - immediately south of its intersection with Cedar Narrows Road.
- Highway 622 - at its intersection 63 kilometres north of Junction Highway 11B and Highway 622.
- Highway 17 - at the south limits of the village of Upsala.
- Highway 527 - at its intersection with the Eaglehead Lake Road.
- Highway 11 - at Orient Bay, due east to the westerly Algoma District Boundary.
- Highway 11 - at its intersection approximately 2 kilometres west of the Pagwachuan River.
ZONE 1B
South of a line drawn through the following points:
- Highway 71 - at its intersection 54.5 kilometres north of the Junction of Highway 11 and Highway 71.
- Highway 502 - immediately south of its intersection with Cedar Narrows Road.
- Highway 622 - at its intersection 63 kilometres north of Junction Highway 11B and Highway 622.
- Highway 17 - at the south limits of the village of Upsala.
- Highway 527 - at its intersection with the Eaglehead Lake Road.
- Highway 11 - at Orient Bay, due east to the westerly Algoma District Boundary.
- Highway 17 - at its intersection 6 kilometres west of Highway 631.
And following southerly along the westerly Algoma District Boundary to Lake Superior.
ZONE 2A
North of a line drawn as follows:
1.Highway 17 – from the junction of Highway 101 easterly along Highway 101 to the Quebec border including Highway 101.
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, 2025 to April 30, 2025.
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, 2025 to May 31, 2025.
Effective March 14, 2025 @ 12:01am
When signs are posted, the following Highways will have a Reduced Load Limit for their ENTIRE length:
510 524 528 528A 529
529A 534 538 539A 540A
542A 553 554 559 563
592 607 607A 612 630
632 637 639 645 651
667 670 805 810 7041
7042 7044 7045 7085 7088
7089 7090 7122 7140 7172
7182
Dumont Rd
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 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 0.5 km north of Warren, north to Jct. Hwy 64
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 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)
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, 2025 to June 30, 2025.
Effective March 14, 2025 @ 12:01am
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