Ontario Canada enacts handsfree rules that will impact radio hams

If you are a radio ham living in the Canadian Province of Ontario, or planning to visit, read on.

On Wednesday, September 30th, the Ontario Ministry of
Transportation announced that Bill 118, which bans several distractions while operating a motor vehicle in the Province, will take effect on October 26, 2009.

According to Radio Amateurs of Canada, the new law makes it a violation for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or
e-mail using handheld cell phones or any other handheld communications or entertainment devices.

Following a three-month educational period police will start issuing tickets on February 1, 2010.

The new law does directly impact ham radio mobile operations although not immediately. Posting to the Radio Amateurs of Canada blog page, Vice President for Public Relations Peter West, VE3HG, noted that all two-way radios in all vehicles must be hands-free in three years time. The only permanent exception is for emergency response vehicles.

At the end of the three-year interim exemption, all commercial, CB and Amateur Radio equipment used in moving vehicles by the vehicle operator must be set up for hands-free operation.

Source: ARNewsline, RAC