BC Mandatory Dash Cam Law for Commercial Trucks Passed

British Columbia is officially setting a landmark Canadian precedent for highway safety and legal accountability. Bill M217, the Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act, has successfully passed its third reading in the B.C. Legislature with unanimous, all-party support.

The bipartisan passing of this bill signals a massive operational shift in how collisions involving heavy trucks will be investigated, documented, and litigated on our provincial roads.

Which Vehicles are Affected?

The mandate does not apply to regular passenger vehicles or light-duty pickup trucks. Instead, the trucks covered by the legislation are restricted to specific classifications:

• Heavy Commercial Vehicles: Any motor vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or registered gross weight exceeding 11,793 kg (approximately 26,000 lbs). This includes semi-trucks, large dump trucks, and heavy logistics rigs.
• All Active Rigs on Provincial Roads: The rule applies to any commercial vehicle operating on a B.C. highway, regardless of where the carrier is originally registered, plated, or insured (including out-of-province and U.S. carriers).

Strict Technical and Hardware Standards

Fleet operators cannot simply install cheap, low-resolution consumer hardware. The regulations accompanying the act dictate specific baseline criteria:

• High-Definition Video: Cameras must record at a minimum digital resolution of 1080p.
• Night Vision Capabilities: Systems must capture clear, identifiable footage in low-light and adverse weather conditions.
• 72-Hour Storage Retention: Onboard storage media must hold a minimum of 72 hours of continuous footage before overwriting.
• Continuous Operation: The driver is legally required to ensure the camera records at all times during operation and that the lens remains completely unobstructed.

Who is Responsible if the Rules Are Broken?

The legislation places responsibilities on both the driver and the carrier (the company operating the commercial vehicle). Drivers are required to ensure that the dashboard camera is operating while the vehicle is being driven and that the camera lens is not obstructed. Carriers are responsible for equipping vehicles with compliant camera systems and ensuring that they are properly installed and maintained.

Once the supporting regulations are finalized, enforcement officers will be able to issue violation tickets to the person or company responsible for the specific offence. Depending on the circumstances, this could be the driver, the carrier, or both. The exact offences and penalty amounts will be established in the regulations that accompany the Act.

Balancing Accountability with Privacy Concerns

The primary catalyst for this bill was a tragic spike in fatal crashes along major provincial corridors, particularly Highway 5. The B.C. Trucking Association strongly supported the law, highlighting that professional truck drivers are historically found not at fault in 75% to 80% of multi-vehicle collisions.

To protect driver privacy, lawmakers limited the mandate strictly to outward-facing cameras. The law explicitly notes that any captured data must comply with the provincial Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Driver-facing cabin cameras are neither required nor mandated under this specific piece of legislation.

The Implementation Timeline

While the legislative framework has successfully cleared the house, the implementation clock officially starts ticking once the bill receives Royal Assent from the Lieutenant Governor. Section 5 of the Act dictates that commercial operators and out-of-province fleets will have a strict six-month grace period from that signature date to source and install compliant camera systems before roadside enforcement begins.

Because the bill passed its third reading on May 25, 2026, the official compliance deadline is projected to land in late 2026 or early 2027, depending on the exact date of Assent.

The regulations establishing specific offences, fines, and enforcement procedures have not yet been published. Those regulations will determine who may inspect or obtain recorded footage, the circumstances under which it can be required, and whether responsibility for non-compliance rests with the driver, the carrier, or both.