B.C. Bill would make dashboard cameras mandatory on commercial vehicles

British Columbia has advanced legislation that would require dashboard cameras on commercial vehicles operating in the province. The measure was introduced as a private member’s bill by opposition MLA Ward Stamer.

The bill, known as the Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act, cleared third reading with unanimous support in late May. It would require vehicle owners or lessees to install and maintain forward-facing cameras and require operators to keep them recording whenever the vehicle is operating.

In Canada’s parliamentary system, most laws originate as government bills introduced by cabinet ministers. A private member’s bill, by contrast, is introduced by an individual legislator who is not part of the executive branch. These bills follow the same formal process but receive limited debate time unless they gain broad support. This measure attracted unanimous backing from all parties.

The bill references British Columbia’s existing Commercial Transport Act, the province’s primary law governing commercial vehicles. That act defines which trucks, buses and vehicle combinations qualify as commercial vehicles and establishes rules for licensing, weights and highway operations.