Navigating the Canadian ELD Mandate: 7 Key Considerations

The Canadian Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate has landed!

These regulations have been two years in the making and have undergone significant modifications along the way. Read these seven important reminders to ensure your fleet is prepared, no matter where or how often you operate in Canada.

#1: We are currently in a period of education and awareness 

On March 2, 2021, the Canadian Minister of Transport announced the June 12, 2021, deadline would be followed by a period of education and awareness. While June 12, 2021, still marked the day the regulations took effect, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) stated jurisdictions should consider the education and awareness with no penalties component in effect until June 12, 2022.

#2: Your location plays a part

Every province and territory will develop its own strategy for phased enforcement. You can find a list of websites and contact information for each Canadian jurisdiction here.

Additionally, carriers based in the U.S. and Mexico who also operate in Canada must be compliant upon entering Canada once enforcement goes into effect.

#3: There are significant differences between the U.S. and Canadian regulations

The U.S and Canadian ELD Mandates are highly similar and serve the same purpose. They both mandate the electronic recording of hours of service rules for drivers in each country. Yet, there are notable differences drivers must be aware of to operate in both countries successfully. View the seven key differences between both mandates here.

#4: Many helpful resources are available to you

Staying knowledgeable and prepared largely depends on the time you invest in researching the intricate details of the regulations. Luckily, we have a one-stop hub equipped with all your Canadian ELD Mandate FAQs, resource needs, webinars, and much more. Be sure to visit and bookmark!

#5: As of the effective date, there are no certified ELDs

Acceptable ELDs in Canada must be certified by an accredited third party. On October 27, 2020, FPInnovations was authorized to approve ELDs in the country. As of June 12, 2021, there are no certified ELD devices in Canada. Several providers, including Solera, are currently undergoing the certification route with FPInnovations. This is a thorough process that takes copious time. I am diligently monitoring our approval status, and Solera Fllet Solutions will send out the necessary updates and next steps once we receive certification.

#6: Continue paying attention

While this recommendation may seem obvious, it’s a vital one. There are still critical announcements around the Canadian ELD Mandate that are set to take place. Keep your eyes and ears open to ensure your fleet is always aligned with the industry.

#7: Preparing your fleet ahead of time should be a priority

Once certified ELDs are on the market, carriers should be proactive in choosing the right ELD for their operation. Familiarizing drivers with ELDs and regulatory requirements takes time, training, and teamwork. When you commit to a dedicated provider with a proven history of innovation and compliance, like Solera, you can rest easy with comprehensive regulatory support for the long term.

FAQs about the Canadian ELD Mandate

Who the mandate affects

The first question many carriers ask is, “Does this mandate affect me?” If you’re a federally regulated carrier—meaning you provide extra-provincial transportation—operating in Canada, the answer is almost always “yes.”

U.S.- and Mexico-based carriers must also comply with the mandate whenever they enter Canada and meet the requirements. Provinces and territories in Canada are currently deciding how the ELD requirements will impact intra-provincial carriers.

Vehicles are exempt from ELDs if they:

• Are under a short-term rental agreement for 30 days with no renewal or extension

• Fall under an administratively issued Hours of Service (HOS) permit

• Were manufactured before the year 2000

• Operate under Canadian statutory exemptions

No Record of Duty Status (RODS) logs are required when a driver operates a commercial vehicle within 160 km of the home terminal.

The regulatory basics

Transport Canada and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) work with jurisdictions across Canada to amend HOS regulations. Their goal remains to ensure full compliance with HOS rules—nothing about those rules changes under the ELD mandate; they simply get monitored electronically.

ELDs for use in Canada require certification by an accredited third party to ensure devices comply with the CCMTA’s Technical Standard for ELDs. This differs from U.S. regulations, where ELD providers self-certify. A U.S.-certified device does not automatically qualify as certified in Canada.

As of December 4, 2020, there are still no certified Canadian ELD-compliant devices. Transport Canada announces the first—and so far only—accredited certifying body, and more accreditations are pending.

How Canada differs from the U.S.

While the Canadian and U.S. ELD mandates share many similarities, there are notable differences beyond the third-party certification requirement:

• Transport Canada determines there is no need for a grandfather clause in their regulations.

• Drivers must confirm whether to continue on “Yard Move” status after the engine cycles power.

• ELDs must monitor the Personal Conveyance limit of 75 km and automatically switch back to “Drive” status when that limit is reached; Personal Conveyance segments do not include location recording.

• Driver RODS files must transfer via email as a non-editable PDF plus a data output file containing compliant logs for the current 24-hour period and the previous 14 days. Bluetooth and USB transfer capabilities remain optional.

• We all wait for guidance on exactly where those emails should be sent.

• If an ELD malfunction persists, the motor carrier must repair or replace the device within 14 days of discovering the issue.

A general overview of the ELD experience for new users

With Canada’s ELD mandate now in force, many carriers operating solely in Canada aim to familiarize themselves with what equipping their vehicles entails. Here are a few key rules ELD users in Canada should know:

1. Automatic recording: Once the vehicle reaches 8 km/h, all movement is recorded unless the driver first selects “Yard Move” or “Personal Conveyance.” Automatically recorded drive time cannot be edited or reassigned except in very limited circumstances.

2. Sleeper berth movements: If a driver moves a vehicle while in “Sleeper Berth” status, the system breaks that status. The driver must annotate the reason, and a roadside inspector reviews it. The driver then re-enters “Sleeper Berth” status and completes the full rest period.

3. RODS certification: Drivers must certify their RODS immediately after completing their last entry of the day.

4. Required documents: At roadside, drivers must produce:

   1. The ELD user manual

   2. Instruction sheets detailing malfunction reporting and the process for electronic RODS transfer

   3. At least 14 days of blank driver logs
      These items may be stored electronically, but drivers must know how to access them.

Solera remain committed to obtaining ELD certification in Canada as soon as possible. It is my foremost priority to continue sharing relevant information and insight as it becomes available. In the meantime, visit solera for the most up-to-date resources and FAQs.