Critical Interprovincial Trade Barrier to be Removed
Information from government officials, industry partners, and media outlets, have confirmed that full, seamless interprovincial long-combination vehicle (LCV) operations connecting Ontario and Quebec directly to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is expected to open in mid-November 2026 pending the completion of a final 1.6 km section of the Autoroute 85 extension.
The operation of LCVs along the entire length of the corridor will establish a continuous four-lane divided highway network between central and Atlantic Canada allowing LCV movements connecting points between Windsor, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Highway 85 |185 was flagged as an interprovincial trade barrier in the Canadian Trucking Alliance’s 2023 & 2025 interprovincial trade barrier reports.
Operating an LCV in Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, or Nova Scotia, comes with specific permit requirements for each province.
Carriers operating LCVs in multiple jurisdictions in Eastern and Atlantic Canada can familiarize themselves with the rules in the provinces where they will be travelling, through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Harmonization of Special Permit Conditions for Operation of Long Combination Vehicles in Eastern Canada.
Details of these requirements can be found at the Task Force on Vehicle Weights and Dimensions Policy.