Montreal Has New Towing Laws That Are Supposed To Help With Traffic

You generally shouldn't contact the towing company directly.
Reporter

If you're stuck in a fender bender or your car is stalled on Montreal roads, you'll now have to call the police for help instead of the towing company. Montreal's new vehicle towing bylaw came into effect on July 1.

Drivers involved in an accident or with a stalled car that blocks traffic should dial 9-1-1 to reach Montreal police if no officer is already on the scene.

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Service de police de la Ville de Montréal

The Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) introduced 10 new towing zones in Montreal. After dialling 9-1-1, police will connect you to an "exclusive towing company" that's designated for your zone, and the tow truck will be identified with a bright orange SPVM sticker.

If your car breaks down on an expressway that crosses the Island of Montreal, such as the Metropolitan Expressway, Expressway 20 or Boul. Décarie, you have to dial *4141 instead of 9-1-1 for the towing service. 

If your vehicle is somewhere safe and it's not blocking traffic, you do not need to use the exclusive towing service.  

Rates for car towing in Montreal can be found here.

  • Lea Sabbah
  • Lea Sabbah was a Staff Writer for MTL Blog. Previously, Lea was a radio host on CJLO 1690 AM and her work has been published by Global News, the Toronto Star, Le Devoir and the National Observer. In 2019, she was part of the investigative team that uncovered lead in Montreal's drinking water — a story which won Quebec's Grand Prix Judith-Jasmin. She's a graduate of the journalism program at Concordia University.

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