Ontario opened a $30-million truck inspection station on Highway 11/17 near Thunder Bay

In March 2024, Ontario opened a new commercial vehicle inspection station on Highway 11/17 in Shuniah, near Thunder Bay. The province said the $30-million facility would use new technology to spot problems such as underinflated tires and faulty brakes.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the station would help reduce the risk of crashes and keep goods moving safely across northern Ontario.

Enforcement in the North

• Ontario has 34 truck inspection stations, staffed by enforcement officers who check vehicle condition and driver behaviour and qualifications.
• In 2023, the province stepped up enforcement on Highways 11, 17, 144 and 101. Officers did more than 4,000 inspections and laid 3,200 charges, including 700 for speeding. More than 1,000 vehicles were taken out of service.
• Expanding inspection facilities is one of more than 60 actions in the province's draft northern transportation plan, Connecting the North.

Local reaction

Wendy Landry, president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and mayor of Shuniah, said the association had long pushed for highway safety, and called the station a necessary step to address safety concerns and crashes on Highway 11/17.

OPP Deputy Commissioner Rohan Thompson said the facility reflected joint efforts to cut collisions involving commercial vehicles.

The province also said it was building 10 new rest areas and repairing or expanding 14 existing ones along provincial highways.