Overview
The “Building a More Competitive Economy Act” has passed third reading in the Legislature. Ontario One Call is supporting the work needed to install signs in school zones by ensuring safe digging and facilitating timely underground infrastructure locates.
Scope of the Project
▪️40 Municipalities have municipal speed cameras in use across Ontario.
▪️Municipal speed cameras are currently installed in school zones where signs will be installed.
▪️The majority of these cameras are located in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
▪️It is anticipated that thousands of signs will be installed in the coming weeks.
▪️Several signs are planned to be installed in each school zone using posts driven several feet into the ground.
Ontario One Call’s Role
▪️Ontario One Call is supporting this initiative by:
▪️ Underground Infrastructure Owners (UIOs) and Locate Service Providers (LSPs) of their obligations in ensuring timely locate delivery.
▪️Providing guidance and best practices to municipalities and contractors.
▪️Promoting safe digging through public outreach and stakeholder engagement.
▪️Offering compliance support and troubleshooting throughout the rollout period.
Key Compliance Notes
▪️Locate are required before any project that involves breaking ground, including sign installation.
▪️UIOs must complete locates within legislated timelines:
▪️Five business days for requests with a single civic address
▪️10 business days for requests without a civic address or with multiple civic addresses
Best Practices for Stakeholders
▪️Click here for special instructions to accurately submit locate requests for this type of work.
▪️Municipalities or their contractors should submit locate requests as early as possible.
▪️Use white lining to mark dig areas clearly and identify each location with a visible marker.
▪️When requesting a locate for this project, input “MTO School Zone Sign” as your Type of Work.
▪️Be precise in map selection and request descriptions (e.g., “installing signs in school zones”).
▪️Include installation dates in locate requests to flag urgency.
▪️Coordinate directly with local LSPs to ensure alignment on timing and expectations.
Ontario One Call is committed to supporting all stakeholders involved in this important safety initiative. For questions or assistance, please contact us at MemberServices@OntarioOneCall.com.
Thank you for your continued partnership in promoting safe excavation and public safety across Ontario.
