Resolution No. 20-01A

WHEREAS, fines for up to $1,000 are in place for disregarding Orange Zones;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the "Orange Zone" be extended to include rural municipalities for protection of workers and the public as well; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that any "Orange Zone" employee be empowered, to report anyone going through an "Orange Zone" at excessive speed.

Response from Hon. Pat Atkinson:

SGI is responsible for the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) which specifies the "Orange Zone" restrictions. In the (HTA), a "highway" is defined as any road, parkway, driveway, square or place designed and intended for use by the general public for the passage of vehicles. Therefore by virtue of the definition, the 60 km/h rule for the "Orange Zone" applies to all rural municipal roads.

It is current practice, at all times that any citizen can report a violation to law enforcement and charges can be laid, if an investigation verifies the incident. There is no change needed to allow municipal employees to report "Orange Zone" violations. The HTA defines a highway worker as anyone working on a highway and is not limited to a Department of Highways and Transportation worker.

Therefore, any person involved in road construction or maintenance, on any roadway in the province is considered a highway worker for the purposes of the "Orange Zone". Any municipality that wishes to utilize the "Orange Zone" protection must outfit their crews with the appropriate signage and markers as required under the Highway Worker Identification Regulations, and then all the restrictions and penalties apply.