170,000 Problematic Licence Plates Still on the Road in Ontario

Back in 2020, the Ontario government put a stop to the production of its new blue-coloured licence plates because of a series of safety concerns.

The plates were introduced in 2019 as a product that would last longer as a result of “high-definition” sheeting, according to government officials.

However, these new plates weren’t as road-friendly as the government hoped. Issues were reported by drivers and law enforcement alike, primarily at night, where the plates become virtually illegible.

After initially defending the “A Place To Grow” plates, the government eventually decided to stop issuing them in February 2020.

“After thorough testing by law enforcement and other key stakeholders, we are following their advice and will not be moving forward with the new plate for passenger vehicle use,” said the Premier’s Office in a May 2020 statement.

Drivers could voluntarily exchange them for an original white “Yours to Discover” licence plate. But according to the official numbers, many drivers have yet to do the switch.

According to a CTV News report, as of January 2023, there are still about 170,000 of the 193,000 blue licence plates issued still on the road.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery told CTV News that the blue plates “continue to be valid until further notice.”

Brian Patterson, CEO of the Ontario Safety League, claims that it shouldn’t be difficult to send those 170,000 drivers a letter asking them to make the exchange. Patterson worries the people using the reflective plates may think it’s a “get-out-of-jail-free card.” For example, drivers could commit infractions without the fear of being reported by another driver because of the illegible plate.

Share on Facebook

More on the subject

BuzzAnother Ontario Driver Busted With Fake Plates
Driving around with fake or modified plates is becoming a common occurrence on our roads. Earlier this week a London, Ontario driver LPS Traffic Management Unit (TMU) because he was driving with an altered licence plate. The vehicle was spotted in the Hamilton Road and Adelaide Street area. After concluding …
NewsOntario's New Licence Plates Become Illegible at Night
The new licence plates being issued in Ontario since February 1 have a major problem that many drivers are complaining about. According to CTV News , the plates become totally illegible at night when hit with a direct light, for example a car’s headlights. Obviously, this is a concern for …
BlogQuebec Could Sink Personalized Plates Due To Bureaucratic Ineptitude
When something sounds too good to be true, sometimes it is. After years of dragging its feet, Quebec was poised to implement its first real personalized license plate policy starting in September of 2015. Although it's currently possible to get your ham radio tag on your plate, this seemingly random …
NewsCAA Study: Ontario Drivers Are Increasingly Dangerous at the Wheel
It’s not getting any better on the road as far as driving behaviour goes. As Ontario drivers are getting back to their normal lives after the pandemic, a new study conducted by DIG Insights on behalf of CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) says that a greater portion of them …