Canada’s Constitution Act, 1867 does not assign transportation to either Parliament or the provincial legislatures. Instead, jurisdiction to regulate in relation to a specific transportation issue depends on which constitutional subject matter is engaged by the proposed law or regulation.
For example, federally regulated transportation issues may overlap with federal jurisdiction over Indigenous issues. The federal government also has responsibilities regarding the accessibility of federally regulated transportation services.
While some transportation-related matters, such as air transportation or safety requirements on roads and highways fall exclusively under federal or provincial jurisdiction, others involve shared jurisdiction, requiring coordination between both levels of government.
Read the full text of the HillStudy: Federal and Provincial Jurisdiction to Regulate Transportation Issues
By Jed Chong, Library of Parliament
Categories: Business, industry and trade, Executive summary, Law, justice and rights