February 12, 2020 – Every year, a number of Canadian provinces implement a “Spring Thaw” policy, which specifies reduced trailer load restrictions in order to protect roads from significant damage at a time of year when roads are most vulnerable to damage due to high levels of moisture.
Restrictions can vary between 8% and 20%, depending on the province, and according to the vehicle’s axle type and configuration.
Shippers should be aware of the spring weight restrictions, and the dates in which they’re in effect, as they will impact shipments.
Some members of the trade community, such as CN Rail, are already taking steps to prepare for Spring Thaw. To avoid a potential backlog of heavy loads requiring special handling , CN is implementing its Spring Weight Restrictions in advance of the Quebec Government notice. They are planning to have all heavy loads arrive prior to the anticipated start of restrictions during the first week of March 2020. To assist its customers during this period of reduced payload, CN will establish a “Latest Shipping Date” where customers may ship at regular payload weights from each terminal (based on the consignee receiving the traffic immediately upon arrival at the destination terminal).
For more information about the thaw period and weight restrictions of individual provinces, please visit the following: