Ontario Restarting Passenger Road Tests in Most DriveTest Centres Across the Province

TORONTO – The Ontario government is safely restarting in-vehicle passenger road tests on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at most DriveTest centres across the province. Road tests will not be starting in public health unit regions still subject to a Stay-at-Home order (Toronto, Peel, York and North Bay Parry Sound), or in regions in Grey-Lockdown zones, such as Niagara Region. Strict public health and workplace safety measures will be in place for all in-vehicle passenger road tests to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“As we safely and gradually transition out of the provincewide shutdown and return to the COVID-19 Response Framework, it’s important that we ensure drivers are able to get tested in order to keep our roads and highways safe,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “For those who book an appointment, I strongly urge you to follow all public health and workplace safety requirements when visiting a DriveTest centre to protect yourself, staff and other clients.”

Applicants living in a region subject to the Stay-at-Home order, or in a Grey-Lockdown zone may not book an in-person road test at a DriveTest centre in another region. Those who try to attend a DriveTest centre in a lower COVID-19 region (Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, Orange-Restrict, Red-Control) will be turned away.

The DriveTest centres in regions still subject to the Stay-at-Home order are located in Brampton, Downsview, Etobicoke, Metro East, Mississauga, Newmarket, North Bay, Port Union and St. Catharines. These DriveTest centres along with those in all other regions remain open for essential indoor services, such as knowledge tests, with capacity limits and COVID-19 preventative measures in place. The Ministry of Transportation also continues to offer commercial road testing and other commercial vehicle services to ensure the continued safe movement of essential goods and services.

If any region is moved back into Grey-Lockdown, in-vehicle passenger road testing will be immediately suspended, and all road tests will be cancelled to protect the health and safety of DriveTest customers and employees. Customers will receive a credit on the system so they can rebook a test when their region reopens.

Quick Facts

• To protect the safety of Ontarians, DriveTest continues to require customers to wear face coverings inside centres and during road tests, sanitize their hands when they enter the building and submit to temperature checks and screening questions for those taking road tests. Exceptions will be made for those taking motorcycle road tests and for people with a medical condition or a disability.
• All DriveTest staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment when serving customers and driver examiners will also be equipped with face shields, sanitizer packages and seat covers when conducting road tests.

SOURCE:  Province of Ontario