Like its southern neighbour, Canada is very much dependent on driving. There is no shortage of scenic towns and destinations across the country and driving may be the best way to explore. Here is a brief driving guide aiming at easing your mind while on the road.
Driving in Canada is on the right with overtaking on the left. Since winter weather conditions may make driving challenging, we strongly advise you to check the weather conditions before travelling and be well equipped. Do not also forget to save emergency numbers in your cell phone.
Speed LimitUnlike its neighbour, Canada uses metric units. Distance and speed are marked in kilometres and kilometres/hour. There is a speed limit of 50 km/h in town and 80 km/h on highways. A typical speed limit for the freeway in most provinces is 100-110 km/h.
Traffic SignsNotably, for the most parts, Canadian traffic signs employ two languages-- English, French or both, and some incorporate indigenous language such as “Cree”. There are basically 4 types of Canadian traffic signs: regulatory, warning, information and direction.
 Stop Sign (French and English) |  Stop Sign (Inuktitut and English) |  Stop sign (Cree) |
Canada has not joined in the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, explaining why the road traffic system looks different to what we usually see in Europe or other countries.
Its regulatory signs mostly feature a circular shape, with some exceptions.
 No Stopping |  No Left Turn |  No Overtaking |  Yield |
You will not see a common maximum speed sign in Canada, contrarily to some other countries. The maximal speed sign is usually rectangular, with a black writing on a white background.
 Maximum Speed Limit |
Most Canadian warning signs are diamond-shaped with black lettering or symbols on a yellow background.
 Stop Ahead |  Dead End |  Bump or Uneven pavement on the Road Ahead |  Be Alert for Animals |  Railway Crossing Ahead |
In Canada, information signs show where you are, what road you are driving on or how to reach certain places. These signs normally feature a rectangular shape with green or blue background.
 Hospital Nearby |  Gas Available Ahead |  Accommodation Ahead |
As for directional signs, they are usually rectangular with a green background, and inform drivers about the direction or distance in kilometres to neighboring towns and cities.
 Directions to Nearby Towns and Cities |  Distances in Kilometres to Towns and Cities on the Road |
You may refer to this complete manual of standard Canada traffics signs and pavement markings for a better knowledge.
Seatbelt LawsAs for seatbelt law, every Canadian province makes it compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear seatbelts whilst the car is moving. Failing to do so will result in a fine that varies according to the province.
Booster Seat LawsChildren of 8 years old and under must be properly secured in a child seat restraint system until they are at least 145 cm tall or 36 kg. Children who weigh less than 9 kg must be secured in a rear-facing car seat.
Age and other requirements vary by Canadian province or territory. You may use this as a reference or an idea for the child safety laws when travelling with your kids in Canada, but it is advisable for you to check individual provincial rules before you set for the road.
ParkingParking regulations vary across provinces and territories and are normally the responsibility of municipalities. But you do not need to worry as signage states clearly for the permitted and forbidden parking on all streets.
· Permitted Parking
Street parking is usually only permitted in the direction of traffic. In some smaller roads, parking is only allowed on one side of the road.
Plenty of car parks are available in most of the cities. Prices vary greatly from one city to another and can be very high in cities like Vancouver. Parking can be paid by a ticket machine, a metre at the side of the road, or by a parking attendant at a public parking lot. Failing to pay for parking in these areas may result in a fine.
(Image from i.cbc.ca)
(Image from cbc.ca)
· No Parking
Street parking in some residential areas is not allowed in the winter. There are signs indicating when parking is not allowed.
Fuel PricesThe average price for Canada gasoline price in January 2018 is 1.36 Canadian dollar, while diesel cost 1.01.
TollThere are several toll roads in Canada such as The Ontario Highway 407 and The Cobequid Pass (Highway 104). All of the toll roads have utilized Electronic Toll Collection system.
(Image from o.canada.com)
If you are planning to drive on these toll roads, you can choose to opt into the e-toll system with your car hire company. Normally, the terms are stated in the rental contract provided by the car hire company at the rental desk. These terms should let you be aware that your credit card may be debited 4-8 weeks after you return the car. If you use an Alamo, National or Enterprise rental car, it is advisable to go to check with the Highway Toll Administration site to find out the details of the toll collected.
You are always welcomed to reach out to QEEQ' 24/7 customer service team for assistance or clarifications in matter regarding tolling.
DUI LawsCanada has very strict laws on drunk driving. The limit is the same as in the UK which is 80mg per 100ml of blood but lowered to 50mg in some provinces. If you already have a drink driving conviction on your licence within the last five years, you will be refused entering at the Canadian point of entry.
Punishment varies by provinces but all are treated very seriously. The minimum punishment for a first offence is a $1000 fine and a year's licence suspension.
Traffic FinesSpeeding in Canada can be fined from $100 to over $400 depending on provinces.
For the spot tickets, follow the instructions on the paper to proceed to the payment. It is advisable to pay fines directly when you are still in the city.
For tickets issued from cities of Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal, you can log in the city's website to check the details and pay for them by entering your ticket number( or plus with the licence plate number).
Q1.What is an insurance excess？
Q2. How can I add an addtional driver?
Q3.What if I want to pick up or drop off my rental car out of office hours?
Q4. Can I take the hired car to another country or cross border?
Q5. Can I pick up my car at one location and return it at different location?
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September 20, 2021
Destination: Toronto
They tried to give me a smaller car than what I had booked. When I argued I got given a minivan which was bigger. The car was good but hadn’t been cleaned. It still had rubbish in it from the previous renter and had a horrible smell
View moreSeptember 20, 2021
Destination: Calgary
The counter staff were super helpful and nice
View moreAugust 28, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
terrible service, never responded to email, not friendly.
View moreAugust 24, 2021
Destination: Toronto
I had major issues with Fox Rent a Car and I will be avoiding them in the future. -The pickup location provided was incorrect and I needed to be picked up by a shuttle. It took me at least 1 hour to pickup my vehicle, even though I showed up on time. -The rental company added many fees on top of the rental cost, which included $12/day for use of my credit card insurance. -Despite booking for unlimited mileage, the rental company imposed a 200 km/day limit and charged $0.20/km fee. This directly contradicted my booking.
View moreAugust 23, 2021
Destination: Toronto
I would happily rent from this company again!
View moreAugust 9, 2021
Destination: Halifax
We booked a Dodge charger. However, when we got to Thrifty, they did not have a Dodge Charger available. However, after reviewing our booking confirmation they were able to locate a Mustang GT at a different location. We appreciated the efforts made to get us a satisfactory vehicle. the whole process did, however, take considerably long that we planned for since we had to wait for them to get the vehicle from a different location.
View moreAugust 8, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
Super easy … much smoother than most of my rental experiences from the big companies. Very helpful staff. Car only had 1/4 tank but everything else was great.
View moreAugust 8, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
The staff were quite friendly. The gentleman who helped us at the counter and for pick up (on Monday Aug 2 PM) was very caring and showed us everything about pick up and drop off. He explained the whole renting process clearly. Very satisfied
View moreAugust 6, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
Efficient !
View moreJuly 15, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
Great service and great cars
View moreJune 30, 2021
Destination: Calgary
The car exceeded our expectations. It was a new Corolla with advanced features like automatic braking if there were a vehicle in front. We had to wait for over 1 hour in queue to get the car and this was the only negative point in an otherwise excellent experience. The counter staff was otherwise very helpful.
View moreJune 15, 2021
Destination: Calgary
The car had 60K km but was in good condition both exterior and interior.
View moreApril 23, 2021
Destination: Calgary
Excellent service
View moreApril 12, 2021
Destination: Montreal
Good rate
View moreApril 12, 2021
Destination: Surrey
KIA forte
View moreApril 12, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
Jeep is good
View moreApril 12, 2021
Destination: Montreal
Very nice, got a mazda 3 sports 2020, very good condition
View moreApril 12, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
Good fast flexible
View moreMarch 14, 2021
Destination: Toronto
These guys were very efficient and easy to deal with. I had a flat tyre and they let me borrow their portable air pump to add some air in the tyres so I could bring it in. They fixed the tyre very quickly as they knew I was pressed for time. Very friendly efficient staff.
View moreMarch 5, 2021
Destination: Vancouver
Normally great, but unfortunately their shuttle driver was not available when I dropped off the vehicle, so I had to take a taxi to the airport
View moreJanuary 20, 2021
Destination: Toronto
Great rental company
View moreDecember 30, 2020
Destination: Calgary
Changes price based on local drivers.
View moreDecember 24, 2020
Destination: Montreal
The servant Alex is very nice.
View moreDecember 17, 2020
Destination: Montreal
good easy drop off/ drop in
View moreDecember 6, 2020
Destination: Calgary
Great experience. Will Definitely return for a future rental!
View moreNovember 24, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Great car
View moreNovember 13, 2020
Destination: Calgary
Counter staff was extremely helpful. Surprised location was off site. Did not see that when booking
View moreOctober 15, 2020
Destination: Ottawa
The car was not ready when I arrived. It was washed while I was waiting. My pickup time was for 8 am and I was only able to drive off from the pickup location at 9 am. The drop off in the other hand, took only 5 min. The car was clean, but it had a warning sign turned on. I was told that everything was fine and not to worry about it, that it was just that the mechanic forgot to reset the code for it. Otherwise, I had no problems during my trip.
View moreSeptember 25, 2020
Destination: Vancouver
Overall are good !
View moreSeptember 1, 2020
Destination: Montreal
Le véhicule de location était en mauvais état et avait une odeur très désagréable. Il a été changé pour un modèle olus petit et sale intérieurement. J'ai du nettoyer les vitres. A la restitution du véhicule, j'ai été chargé deux fois ainsi que le carburant alors que j'avais fait le plein...
View moreAugust 25, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Car was provided with empty tank, and we had to pump one wheel 4 times during our renting period!!! No issues besides that.
View moreAugust 21, 2020
Destination: Montreal
Nothing To add to my comments
View moreAugust 19, 2020
Destination: Calgary
The lady who helped me in Calgary was an absolute legend. She saw my back was hurting and helped me out with a more comfortable car. Made my journey 10/10
View moreAugust 14, 2020
Destination: Vancouver
Fuel system was kind of complex this time.
View moreAugust 11, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Car was new and in a very good conditions.
View moreAugust 10, 2020
Destination: Montreal
Very helpful agent at both pick-up and drop-off. Thank you !
View moreAugust 10, 2020
Destination: Calgary
Overall, Routes gave us a good service. We arrived an hour early for the pick up time but they were able to pick us up at the airport. The car was a little dirty but it did not ruin the experience for us.
View moreAugust 7, 2020
Destination: Buffalo
This car was horrible. The car definitely was not properly cleaned. Definitely not with cv19 cdc standards. No real concern from owner when i brought it to her attention either.
View moreAugust 5, 2020
Destination: Ottawa
I didn't know that the choice of cars was only Kia brand. Wé wait long time at thé counter before served, only one person.
View moreAugust 4, 2020
Destination: Toronto
The Car was not sanitized properly. The car was also not so clean and I had to point out to get it cleaned. The car had rough interior. They Charged my visa even though I had Paid to Qeeq already. Still waiting for refund.
View moreAugust 3, 2020
Destination: Montreal
Wish they had after hours key drop off. You can only return the car during business hours
View moreAugust 3, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Quality service
View moreJuly 31, 2020
Destination: Vancouver
I have not received the email receipt of return upto today.
View moreJuly 31, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Only thing that struck me was the car wasn’t very clean and because of COVID-19 got me a bit worried. After reading reviews before renting there I was worried how the service would be, but I am very happy with my experience with them and would recommend and will book again at this locating. :)
View moreJuly 30, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Can you please wash the car properly from outside and interior too. Overall customer service and car performance was excellent.
View moreJuly 7, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Car over all was very clean but found old food like smarties and cornflakes under the seat from previous renters. Also I was unable to reach the Hertz local branch by calling their local line of the Toronto Airport. Kept connecting me to their general line and could not get a hold of anyone to let them know that I can't find their location.
View moreJune 8, 2020
Destination: Calgary
The supervisor, Sunny was so kind and helpful and tried his best to make everything in the best way
View moreJune 4, 2020
Destination: Toronto
Waited extremely long for the shuttle from airport to the Rental place. I called a second time after waiting for 25 mins and they said “yes 5 minutes more”... ITS A 3 min drive from the airport!! That meant that after 25 mins, they still had not left to pick me up. I could have walked there much quicker.. After 45 mins of waiting, we arrived at the rental place. The counter staff was extremely slow and it looked like they had a lot of manual inputting for each customer. The two customers in front of us were being told that they didn’t have sufficient insurance etc etc. they tried to up sell to someone by 30% of the cost of their rental. Honestly it all sounded very scammy. I know they usually up sell insurance but I’ve never heard it so bad. Finally I was helped and they took my insurance to scan it... I’d never heard of that before. Was uncomfortable. Would never rent here again. Basically get better value for a bit more money renting anywhere else.
View moreJune 3, 2020
Destination: Montreal
La personne responsable du ramassage n'était pas très agréable... Au retour il en été de même, pas un mot, que des gestes...
View moreMay 25, 2020
Destination: Toronto
The quickest service ever at an airport. The best day of arrival at an airport and getting a car without any upsell from the customer representatives of Alamo
View more