Mandatory Dash Cameras for Heavy Trucks

Summary#

This bill would require heavy commercial vehicles in British Columbia to have a forward-facing dashboard camera that records whenever the vehicle is being driven. It sets minimum technical standards for the camera and requires owners or lessees to install and maintain it. Video collected must be handled under existing privacy laws. The government can add more details by regulation and will set the start date later.

• Applies to commercial vehicles over 11,793 kg gross vehicle weight rating (as defined in existing BC law).
• Requires a front-facing dash camera that can record continuously at 1080p HD, has night vision, uses local storage at the manufacturer’s default settings, and can retain at least 72 hours of footage.
• Owners must install and maintain the camera; if the vehicle is leased, the lessee must do this.
• Drivers must ensure the camera is recording whenever the vehicle is operated and is not blocked or disabled (exceptions may later be set by regulation).
• Footage must be collected, used, shared, kept, and destroyed in line with applicable privacy and security laws, including BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
• The bill does not state penalties or an enforcement process. The start date will be set by regulation.

What it means for you#

• Businesses and vehicle owners/lessees of heavy commercial vehicles:

  • You must buy, install, and maintain dash cameras that meet the listed specs.
  • You must ensure the camera records continuously during operation and is not obstructed.
  • The camera must use local storage at default settings and be able to hold at least 72 hours of video; cloud-only solutions would not meet this requirement.
  • You will need privacy practices that meet PIPA (for example, limiting access to footage, securing storage, having retention/destruction rules, and using footage only for appropriate purposes).
  • If you lease vehicles, the lessee (not the owner) is responsible for compliance.

• Drivers/operators of heavy commercial vehicles:

  • You must make sure the dash camera is on and recording whenever you drive and that nothing blocks its view through the windshield.

• General public and road users:

  • You may be recorded by the front-facing cameras of heavy commercial vehicles when on or near the road. Use and sharing of that footage is limited by privacy law.

• Insurers, investigators, and police:

  • This could mean more consistent video evidence from heavy commercial vehicles is available after collisions or incidents, subject to privacy law.

• Timing:

  • The law will start on a date set later by the government. Until that regulation is issued, the mandate does not apply.

• What is unclear:

  • The bill does not specify how compliance will be checked, what penalties apply for non-compliance, or any exemptions. These may be set by future regulations.
  • The bill does not mention audio recording; if a device’s default settings include audio, this may raise additional privacy questions under PIPA.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

• Companies and lessees will likely face costs to purchase, install, power, and maintain compliant cameras, and to manage, secure, and appropriately delete footage.
• There may be training and administrative costs to develop and follow privacy policies and processes.
• Government may have some costs to develop and administer regulations and any enforcement approach; no estimate is provided.

Proponents' View#

• The bill appears intended to improve road safety and accountability by ensuring heavy commercial vehicles have reliable, standardized video of the road ahead.
• Consistent, high-quality footage (1080p with night vision and at least 72 hours retained) could help investigate crashes and resolve insurance disputes more quickly and fairly.
• Continuous recording “at all times” of operation could deter unsafe driving if drivers know incidents will be captured.
• Requiring compliance with PIPA could be seen as protecting privacy by limiting how footage is used and shared and by requiring secure handling.

Opponents' View#

• One concern is cost and administrative burden, especially for small carriers, to buy compliant cameras, install them, and manage footage securely.
• The technical specs (1080p, night vision, manufacturer default settings, local storage, 72-hour retention capacity) may be rigid and could become outdated or conflict with existing fleet telematics or cloud-based systems.
• The bill does not explain enforcement or penalties, which may create uncertainty about compliance expectations and effectiveness.
• Continuous recording of public spaces may raise privacy questions, including how long footage should be kept and who can access it; the bill relies on general privacy law without giving detailed guidance.
• It is unclear how audio (if captured by default on some devices) should be handled, which may create extra privacy compliance challenges.