Drivers in Markham started 2026 under stiffer provincial penalties for impaired driving, stunt driving and vehicle theft, as a set of Highway Traffic Act changes took effect on Jan. 1.

The province outlined the changes in a backgrounder listing laws and regulations in force as of the new year. They apply across Ontario and are enforced in Markham by York Regional Police.

What changes for impaired and stunt drivers

  • A lifetime driver's licence suspension on conviction for impaired driving causing death.

  • Mandatory remedial education for first-time alcohol- or drug-related administrative occurrences.

  • Longer roadside licence suspensions for first and second alcohol- or drug-related occurrences.

  • Mandatory minimum licence suspensions for stunt driving convictions now apply automatically instead of being ordered by a court.

New tools against vehicle theft

People convicted of motor vehicle theft under the Criminal Code now face escalating driver's licence suspensions, rising to a lifetime suspension on a third conviction.

The province also created a new provincial offence for knowingly giving a false vehicle identification number in a vehicle transaction. A conviction can bring a fine of up to $100,000, up to six months in jail and a licence or vehicle permit suspension of up to one year.

Another amendment gives police the authority to search for and seize electronic devices intended to be used to steal vehicles. The province said the change gives law enforcement stronger tools to keep keyless theft devices off the streets.

Impaired driving in York Region

Impaired driving is a steady part of police work in York Region. According to York Regional Police, officers charged 1,350 people with 1,884 impaired-related charges in 2023, roughly a six per cent drop from the 1,441 impaired drivers reported in 2022. The service says that works out to about three impaired drivers charged every day, and that roughly 4,000 people a year call police to report a suspected impaired driver.

There are no excuses for impaired driving.

— York Regional Police

Hotel guest registers

Also in force as of Jan. 1, the Accommodation Sector Registration of Guests Act requires hotels and online accommodation providers to keep a register of guests and sets a standard way for police to access it during human trafficking investigations. The rules apply to accommodation businesses in Markham as elsewhere in the province.