Ontario's Ministry of Transportation expanded its tow truck zones on April 1, 2026, covering additional highway sections across the Greater Toronto Area including Brampton, Mississauga, and Toronto, according to UL Law. Under the system, only pre-approved, provincially contracted towing companies can respond to crashes in designated zones, at fixed pricing set by the province. The expansion builds on a 2021 pilot program designed to stop multiple tow trucks from racing to accident scenes. Independent operators without a provincial contract are not permitted to tow in these zones. The program is part of Ontario's broader Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act, which shifted all towing regulation from municipal to provincial control in 2024.
Operator takeaway
Watch Ontario closely — government-controlled towing zones that lock out non-contracted operators is the most aggressive market restructuring any jurisdiction has attempted, and US states watching the results may follow.