Ontario
Freight Shipping in Ontario
Ontario moves more truck freight than any other Canadian province, anchored by the Windsor–Detroit border crossing and the Highway 401 corridor.
Looking for the full regional guide? See our in-depth Ontario freight guide.
Main Corridors
Highways carrying Ontario freight
Highway 401, QEW, Highway 400
Facts
Ontario freight: what to know
- Ontario requires a CVOR certificate for trucks over 4,500 kg, buses seating 10+, tow trucks, concrete pumps and mobile cranes plated in Ontario, the US or Mexico; the Ministry of Transportation issues it. Source: Ontario.ca: CVOR, checked November 11, 2026.
- Ontario requires most large commercial trucks to use electronic speed limiters capping speed at 105 km/h (vehicles built after 1994 with an electronic control module and GVWR of 11,794 kg or more; ambulances and fire trucks exempt). Source: Ontario.ca: Commercial vehicle safety requirements, checked November 11, 2026.
- Ontario’s transportation plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe reports that the busiest stretch of Highway 401 carries over 416,000 vehicles a day, including 41,000 trucks, and calls it Canada’s busiest highway. Source: Ontario.ca: Connecting the GGH, checked November 11, 2026.
- Transport Canada's 2024 table of busiest border crossings for trucks ranks Windsor-Ambassador Bridge first (2.64M two-way truck movements, 24.7% share), Sarnia-Blue Water Bridge second (1.86M, 17.5%), Fort Erie-Peace Bridge third (1.06M, 9.9%) and Lacolle sixth (0.53M, 5.0%). Source: Transport Canada: busiest border crossings for trucks, 2024, checked November 11, 2026.
FAQ
Ontario freight shipping — common questions
What are the main freight highways through Ontario?
Freight through Ontario moves primarily via Highway 401, QEW, Highway 400.
What kind of freight moves through Ontario?
Ontario moves more truck freight than any other Canadian province, anchored by the Windsor–Detroit border crossing and the Highway 401 corridor.