October 19, 2006

Manitoba sets pace for Western Provinces in MADD Canada’s
Rating the Provinces and Territories:  The 2006 Report Card

Edmonton, Alberta -- Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada released its comprehensive study on provincial and territorial impaired driving laws today. Of the thirteen jurisdictions across Canada, Western Provinces scored well:  Manitoba ranked first with a grade of A-; Alberta fourth with a B-; Saskatchewan fifth also with a B-; and British Columbia remained in eighth position overall with a C+.

“The fact that the grades have gone up for most Western Provinces reflects their attention to the problem of drinking and drugs and driving,” reports Louise Knox, MADD Canada’s Western Chapters Manager. “British Columbia still lacks the sense of commitment found in the other Western Provinces. However, with this comparative study, we hope B.C. – and every jurisdiction for that matter – will take a good look around at what the others are doing. We want governments to focus on our country’s best practices and move to enact legislation that has worked and is proving to be effective elsewhere in Canada.”

In the document Rating the Provinces and Territories: The 2006 Report Card, MADD Canada presents five core elements as being essential in provincial and territorial efforts to reduce impaired driving:

• a comprehensive graduated licensing program for all new drivers, including express police powers to enforce it;
• a .00% BAC limit for all drivers under 21 or with less than five years driving experience;
• express police powers to stop vehicles, establish sobriety checkpoints, and demand field sobriety testing from suspected alcohol and/or drug impaired drivers;
• strengthening the existing short-term roadside licence suspension programs for drivers with BACs of .05% or higher, to include a 7-14 day licence suspension, a $150–$300 licence reinstatement fee, the recording of the suspension on the driver’s record, and mandatory remedial measures for repeat violations; and
• mandatory alcohol interlock, vehicle impoundment and forfeiture, and remedial programs.

Manitoba was lauded for its introduction of new legislative reforms including a five-year, zero-BAC for new drivers.  Kudos were also given for the Province’s graduated licensing enforcement, police enforcement powers, short-term administrative licence suspension, and vehicle forfeiture program. 

The Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were also recognized by MADD Canada for having made significant progress in introducing effective impaired driving legislation over the last three years.

Full details of RTP 2006, including a podcast interview with study co-author Professor Robert Solomon can be found on www.madd.ca.

For more information, visit www.madd.ca, or call:

Louise Knox, MADD Canada’s Western Chapters Manager
1-866-900-6233, ext. 222

Andrew Murie, MADD Canada’s CEO
1-800-665-6233, ext. 224

Also see:

For a complete listing of media releases and resource documents, see the Rating the Provinces web page.