Ottawa police urge Quebec to align drunk driving rules with Ontario's

The Ottawa Police Service says it would prefer if Ontario and Quebec were in the same lane when it comes to the amount of alcohol drivers can have in their system before taking the wheel.

In an interview with Radio-Canada on Wednesday, Sgt. Amy Gagnon said the different provincial laws may cause confusion for drivers.

"If the population understands that the consequences are similar, that would definitely help," Gagnon said in French.

On Thursday, Quebec's National Assembly voted against a motion put forward by the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) to reduce the legal blood-alcohol concentration for drivers to 0.05 grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Across the country, criminal charges can be filed against a driver who exceeds a blood alcohol level of 0.08.

However, in Ontario as in the majority of other provinces, administrative sanctions including fines and suspensions can be imposed starting at 0.05.

Quebec's Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility Geneviève Guilbault said the government had already taken action to strengthen road safety, citing in particular the new road safety plan announced last summer.

• Quebec's new road safety plan includes tougher fines, reduced speeds, increased surveillance

MADD concerned

The difference in rules between one side of the Ottawa River and the other is a concern for Geoff Leckey, who's with the Ottawa chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Leckey lost his daughter Emma Leckey in 2018 after she was hit by a drunk driver while walking home after a late night of studying at the University of Toronto. She was 21.

"It was shattering, shattering for the entire family," Leckey said, adding that the loss never gets easier to talk about.

Leckey echoed the concerns of Ottawa police, agreeing that the different rules could cause confusion for drivers and create dangerous situations. 

"That's a concern for Ottawa residents when, potentially, drivers with a higher level of inebriation cross the bridge from Quebec," he said.

Leckey added that it should also be a concern for Quebec drivers, who may not be aware that they could be in legal jeopardy when they cross into Ontario.

'Not the best solution'

The Quebec Restaurant Association, which represents more than 5,000 industry members across the province, said it's glad the government didn't "take the bait" and reduce the blood-alcohol limit.

"We believe it's not the best solution to improve the safety on our roads," said Martin Vezina, vice-president of government affairs at the association.

Vezina said the industry worries a change could impact alcohol sales and is not the way forward.

Instead, he suggested the province bolster policing to ensure the law is applied and people who are driving over 0.08 are stopped.

Gagnon said aligning both provinces would send a clear message that being impaired or driving close to the limit is dangerous.