News
Changes coming to oversize/overweight permitting process

July 13, 2016 – Through the joint Government of Ontario/Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) Open for Business Roundtable process, changes are being implemented to the Oversize/Overweight (O/O) permit process in the province of Ontario.

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) plans to change the duration of a single trip permit from four days to seven days and extend weekend travel to include loads over current annual dimensions (with the exception of police-escorted loads).

“Finding ways to reduce paperwork and the administrative burden on businesses without compromising safety is the ultimate win-win,” said the Hon. Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. “By working with ORBA, the Ministry has made improvements that will help streamline processes and improve the speed of permitting without sacrificing security.”

In December, the O/O Permit Application Process was one of five issues presented at the Opening Roundtable for review to address concerns identified with the current O/O permit wait times and to improve efficiencies and effectiveness of the permit application process. As part of the Roundtable process, ORBA members populated a working group that worked with the MTO to suggest ways to improve the permitting process and help reduce the administrative burden on companies applying for permits.

“ORBA is pleased by the changes being implemented to the oversize/overweight permitting process,” said Ashley De Souza, ORBA’s director of government relations. “The changes to the permitting process will help improve the turnaround time for companies to obtain permits, improve business efficiency, speed up time to complete construction projects and create greater value for taxpayers.”

The partnership between ORBA and the Province of Ontario in an Ontario Open for Business Roundtable, has helped remove barriers and burdens to businesses in the road building industry by reducing the time and effort that ORBA members spend complying with provincial requirements.

About ORBA
ORBA supports and promotes the growth of Ontario’s transportation infrastructure industry. As the voice of over 200 road building contractors and suppliers, ORBA members build and maintain the majority of Ontario’s provincial highway system, municipal roads, bridges and other public transportation infrastructure, employing over 30,000 workers. Visit orba.org for more information.