B.C. Makes Dashboard Cameras Mandatory for Commercial Trucks

British Columbia has passed landmark legislation mandating dashboard cameras on all commercial vehicles operating in the province. The Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act cleared third reading with unanimous cross-party support in late May and requires vehicle owners and operators to install and maintain forward-facing cameras that record continuously during operations. The measure leverages existing Commercial Transport Act definitions, meaning it applies to all vehicles already subject to provincial commercial transport regulations. The implementation timeline provides both opportunity and uncertainty for carriers.

Royal assent by the lieutenant governor converts the bill into law, but enforcement doesn't begin for six months, giving fleets and regulators time to prepare. However, the province has not yet finalized technical specifications, data handling protocols, or penalty structures—details that will be critical for compliance. For supply chain and logistics professionals managing fleets in British Columbia, this represents a structural regulatory shift requiring capital investment in telematics infrastructure, driver training on data privacy, and compliance tracking systems. This precedent may influence other Canadian provinces and jurisdictions considering similar mandates.

While the measure addresses safety and liability concerns, it introduces operational costs and data governance complexity that carriers must absorb. Early movers who invest in compliant systems now gain clarity and potential vendor relationships before the six-month window closes.