Ontarians will no longer have to shell out for licence plate stickers and plate renewal fees.
The provincial government announced on Tuesday that it is eliminating the fees and sticker requirement for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles, and mopeds effective March 13.
In addition to that, the province plans to refund the cost to vehicle owners who paid for stickers and renewal fees since March 2020.
“As the cost of living continues to go up, our government is cutting costs for families to make life more affordable,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Eliminating the fee to renew your licence plate and refunding the cost of doing so for the past two years is a concrete way we can put and keep more money in the pockets of hard-working Ontarians.”
In order to get a refund, drivers will have to make sure their address information is up-to-date on the province’s website and pay any outstanding fees, fines or tolls by March 7. Refund cheques will be mailed at the end of March and throughout April.
More than seven and a half million vehicle owners can expect a refund if the proposed legislation is approved. Refunds will not be given for passenger, light duty commercial vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds that are owned by a company or business, the government said.
The plate sticker fee costs passenger vehicle owners $120 annually in southern Ontario and $60 a year in northern Ontario.
Ontario suspended renewal requirements when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit in March 2020. It had been set to resume the program at the end of February.
Drivers will still have to renew their licence plate every one to two years at no cost in order to confirm their auto insurance is valid and pay any outstanding tolls and municipal fines.
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Alberta have also eliminated physical licence plate stickers. Ontario’s decision to follow suit comes just months before the June provincial election.
