Canadian Hitchhiking Laws | Squat the Planet

Canadian Hitchhiking Laws

Rover

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Hey, here is a link to the hitchhiking section of "fight your tickets".ca. it looks like the page hasn't been updated since Jan 2010, but the site is still active, and the hitchhiking page has links to the applicable government websites, and they're about as current as you would need.

http://fightyourtickets.ca/hitchhiking/
 

kerouac

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damn, i never realized it's so illegal in canada! i've hitched a bunch in almost every province an never caught a fine. got stopped by the cops walking along the trans-canada in new brunswick once and i straight up told the cop i was headed to an on-ramp to hitch and he let me carry on, but not before running my name for warrants.
i'm planning a trip to newfoundland but seeing that the minimum penalty is a day in jail is freaking me out!
i'd be curious to hear if any fellow canadians have ever been fined or worse for hitchhiking here...
 

Vickah

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damn, i never realized it's so illegal in canada! i've hitched a bunch in almost every province an never caught a fine. got stopped by the cops walking along the trans-canada in new brunswick once and i straight up told the cop i was headed to an on-ramp to hitch and he let me carry on, but not before running my name for warrants.
i'm planning a trip to newfoundland but seeing that the minimum penalty is a day in jail is freaking me out!
i'd be curious to hear if any fellow canadians have ever been fined or worse for hitchhiking here...

I live in Newfoundland, the cops don't do a thing to travellers.
 

c4s3

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I've been hassled outside of Surrey for walking down the highway, he just drove me to the skytrain station. Most of the times I've been hassled it was the fucking OPP, Ontario has anti-hitchhiking laws, so if the cop is a dick he can ticket you, etc. On the other hand I was hitchin outside of Wawa this summer and a cop pulled over to see if I was hungry, ended up giving me some trailmix and gave me some fresh water.

All depends I guess, if I'm having a hard time I tend to talk a lot of shit to the cops, being all sarcastic and stuff so that adds to the tickets I'm sure. Also, the coquihalla in BC has no hitchiking signs every ten fucking minutes, but you can still get picked up easily. I think it starts after kamloops or around there.
 
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Haha Wawa is a hitchin' trap, it takes a while to get rides between the soo and Thunder Bay. I've been hitchin close to 15 years in Canada and seems have been smooth. the only things I got stopped for was not hitchin ona turn pike and another time for not having ID and 150$ (Ontario law). If your hitchin across Canada I wouldn't be worried, it's coming back strong, and pigs are cool if you don't fuck with them
 
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WanderLost Radical

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I don't now much about the rest of canada, but in Quebec, hitchhiking is fine unless you're on the highway. Then the cops WILL fuck with you. They might just tell you to fuck of if they're feeling nice, or fine you.
 

Matt Derrick

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added the 'resources' prefix to this thread since other users might find this info useful.
 

wizehop

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Never been fined for hitching, but have had run ins with the cops a lot over the years. Mostly just for hitching in the city, or on major highways. But sometimes its your only choice, so you leave and come back later and hope you get a ride before they come back around.

That being said I'm sure a lot of the laws are there just encase they feel the need to go after you, but I've never heard of any of my friends ever getting more than a "you cant hitch on the highway"
 

fallingseastar

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As long as you don't hitch on the highway I feel like it is fine. Usually that's when it's illegal. I have been harassed by cops, but it was just a smack on the wrist kind of thing. I have seen many hitch under hitchhiking is illegal signs on Vancouver Island.
 

c4s3

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I'm on vancouver island right now in nanaimo, lots of them around. they will go all the way down the main highways for a bit cause of that serial killer in the 90's, they stop round kamloops.
 
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