American Reacts to Getting a Driver's Licence in Canada 

Every province has different rules and regulations on how to get a drivers licence.

Many years ago in a tiny northern community, i went to the RCMP and they gave me my road test. I got in the car and he said ok. Jennifer drive down the hiway and turn around. I got did so. When we got back to the office, he wrote out my license handed it to me and said " for Christs sake, dont drive like your father. "

Driving in the winter means we need more skilled drivers than our southern neighbours.

Canada should absolutely have a drivers exam for those who wish to drive in our Canadian winters. Being able to drive safely and being able to drive safely in winter are two totally different things.

It's a lot more advanced than when I got my licence back in the 70's. I got mine living in Sudbury, Ontario in the middle of winter. There was a snow storm on the day of my driver's test and I passed even though I slide past a stop sign. My instructor said he wouldn't have been able to do much better. We both laughed.

Some fun facts/stats that might clear up why our process is different (better): Traffic Fatalities by Teenage Drivers (2020) Canada: 1,745 - Rate of 4.59% America: 35,766 - Rate of 10.86% Accidents (by teenagers) with Injury Only (2020) Canada: 101,572 - Rate of 267% America: 4,083,047 - Rate of 1,239% Maybe it's not a smart idea to toss a 16 year old in a hummer and have them fly down a freeway at a hundred miles an hour with 0 experience. But the US doesn't care about teen fatalities... the sooner you can get a licence, the sooner they can sell you a car, and insurance, and healthcare to treat all those car accident related injuries. LOL. Haha, my driving instructor made me parallel park, in winter, on a hill, in between two parked cars. LOL.

This is how we get our license in Canada in Ontario. Every province is different thank you.

In formal Canadian spelling, licence is the noun, license is the verb. I have a licence to drive. I am licensed to drive. Because many Canadians are exposed to American spelling, some do not make the distinction any more. Practice/practise is similar. I have to practise the piano. It is time for piano practice. I believe that most English speakers except for Americans use this convention.

The thing to remember is that driving in snow is a very different skill than normal driving. The way you treat turns, orange lights, and a variety of things, changes drastically when the roads are frozen. So having more time with limitations and harsher consequences when you're figuring things out, helps to make sure that people who are teaching others to drive, or who are driving for work, have the confidence needed to be safe.

As an adjunct to this subject, I moved from Maryland to Ontario as an adult, and so already had a driver's licence. I went to the Driver's Licence Centre, where I turned in my Maryland driver's licence. (They returned it to Maryland.) I waited while they checked my driving record in Maryland, and then took an eye test, after which I was approved for an Ontario licence. If my driving record hadn't been clean, they would have imposed restrictions to be met to become eligible for an Ontario licence. So if you move here, and have a licence with a clean driving record, it's no problem to get an Ontario licence.

In BC, we have Learner, New and full licenses. We used to call New the "family taxi" license. You can only have one passenger, unless they are your siblings. We also have to display a magnetic "L" or "N" on the back of the vehicle so everyone around you knows to be aware that you may drive erratically.

Back in ‘81, I took the written test on my birthday, and got my full license less than 1 month later. Good old days!🎉

The reason for the introduction of a learning system before young people receive their full driver's licence (no restrictions except for medical or vision) is to keep deaths while driving down and to keep insurance rates down. Canada's car and driver insurance system is quite different from that in the US; although it does vary somewhat with each province. However, in general, much of Canada works on a no fault system of insurance. This system is meant to keep car accidents out of the civil judidical system; i.e. you don't have to sue somewhat to get reparation. Thus, you will not find lawyers advertising their capabilites to take care of your car accident case in court.

Here is the explanation about 400 series Highways: What makes a 400-series highway? 400-series highways - Wikipedia The 400-series highways always have a minimum 4 lane cross-section with grade separation at all junctions. Interchanges tend to be spaced at least 1.5 kilometres apart in urban areas unless there are basket weave ramps or collector lanes to facilitated shorter merge distances.

This is one of the biggest difference between Canada and the USA. We see the value in regulations that improve the safety and quality of life. America see this as an infringement of their rights. Sometimes I wonder if Americans know what infringement means. It seems like common sense. Don't you want all drivers to be well trained and experienced, instead of inexperienced untrained drivers? Don't you want someone to have safety and operating knowledge of gun before letting them walk around with a deadly object?? Great content as always Tyler!! Thanks.

Wow, came across this in a random fluke less than 1 minutes after release G1 comes with several conditions like needing to have a driver with full G licence in the car with you at all times who also hasn't been drinking. No driving on the major highways or between midnight and 5am. Some provinces put a max on the number of teens/kids in the car with you. The reason for those restrictions is that there were several late night accidents in rural areas that killed entire carloads full of teens (which in a small town can just wreck entire communities). A lot of people once they get G2 sit there for 3 years because they don't feel the need to proceed to the last step. The 400 series highways are the major ones like the 401, 407, 416, 417 etc... In Toronto the 401 has 6-8 lanes in each direction split into the Collector and Express lanes. It's the busiest highway in North America. You don't need to take Drivers ED but it's recommended and does shorten the amount of time before you can go for the G2 test. The 4 year rule for accompanying driver is all about that person having enough experience to teach and takeover if needed (like lets' say you're driving late at night and midnight hits before you get home. Then That driver would need to take over. Demerit points work similarly to the points system in the U.S. When you're G1 and G2 you are granted a lower number of Demerit points than a fully G licence in order to ensure inexperienced drivers aren't being dangerous. There are many people who live in Toronto and go book their tests in small towns so that they don't need to test on a major highway (which is just whack because they should NEED to test on big highways they will be using)

In Quebec you can start your mandatory driving lessons at 16 and get your learning driving license after completing the first part of the course and pass the writing test. You must complete your driving lessons and wait at least 10 months after you obtain your learning driving licenses before passing the road test. When you pass it, you will be granted a probatory driving license for 2 years. It comes with some restrictions. After 2 years you will finally receive a regular driving license. Basically you can’t have a regular driving license before 18 and 10 months. But you will still have the zero alcohol tolerance until your 22nd birthday. I had to go through that process with my 3 children. And none of them pass the road test at their first attempt. You have to wait 28 days between attemps. Believe me it was a long process.

In Alberta, they've eliminated the need for a second road test. When you pass your drivers' test, you're on probation for one year. If you have no issues at the end of the year, you're automatically upgraded to a full license.

At 16 in America you can drive a car.At 18 you can get married,serve your country and buy a gun . At 21 buy a beer this is how stupid things are in America

BC is very similar. Restrictions on number of passengers, hours, zero tolerance for drugs or alcohol, no electronics - even hands-free.

In Nova Scotia, as parents, we would not allow our children to apply for their full license until they had driven a full winter 30:52 conditions, snow, icy frozen roads but also making good decisions about when it’s safe to drive ie, no phones allowed. It was the rules we set for our children.

Graduated licensing is a good idea, but difficult for people who attend university in a different province. My daughter got her G1 but then went to university in Nova Scotia so had to get her G2 during the time that she was home over the summer. She managed this her first summer home, but the following summer when she went to get her G, she was asked if she had "x" number of hours driving on a 400 highway. She hadn't, because she had been out of province. They wouldn't let her take the drive test and it was too late to schedule another one. They had no appointments available. Then COVID really screwed things up because they weren't scheduling any road tests. When they started up again, there was such a backlog that it took her more than a year, by which time her G2 had expired, so she had to redo that first.

It's a privilege not a right to drive in Canada. I love this system and it saves new driver's lives. In NB you can go to young driver's and get them faster. In NB you can get a farmer's license for farm equipment at 14 years old. Every province is different as well -

In Alberta when I had to get my license you had three stages: - CLASS 7 (learners permit) that you take a written test on, and you can get that as early as 14. That’s also where you can drive with an adult with a full license in the car. - CLASS 5 GDL (probationary license) This you can get at 16 and have to have had a learners for at least a year. And requires passing a basic road test (5 to 15 minutes long) - CLASS 5 (full license) This you can get at 18 and need to have had a probationary license for at least 2 years and have gotten no demerits for at least a year. This requires passing an advanced road test (an hour long) But so many people didn’t bother getting to stage 3 (myself included) and continued to drive with the GDL so they recently have scrapped that and if you hit all the requirements (other than taking the advanced road test) you’ll automatically get your full license

Each province is responsible to make rules for driving licences, not the federal government, to have the clear picture, you would need to watch videos about each of the 10 provinces. I got my full license at 16, in 1989, but rules in Québec changed since--it's harder for younger drivers to get the full license. French on raods signs ?--In Québec, all signs are french only, in other provinces, english only, and some have bilingual signs. Come in and see by yourself is the best way to understand--After all the videos you watched, you're ready to visit us, one of these days. About driving schools, there is also a chapter on winter driving (snow+ice), in the 80's anyway. I don't know much right now, because everything changed.

In Alberta we used to have Learners (equivalent to G1) knowledge test -> GDL (equivalent to G2) road test and then your full licence after an advanced road test. However the provincial government got rid of the GDL (graduated drivers license) program last year so now you go straight from learners to full licence without an advanced road test. You still have to reach certain other requirements. You still have to drive for 24 months to go from learners to full licence and some of the advanced road test requirements have been implemented into the first road test to get your GDL.

The graduated licensing in Ontario is a relatively recent provision. When I got my license in 1980, all I had to do was pass a written test, and eye exam, to get my beginner's license. With a beginner's, I could drive anywhere at any time as long as I had a fully licensed driver with me in the vehicle. Then I booked my road test, which took a few months. After I passed that, I was able to drive without any restrictions. All this G1, G2 stuff is new. It's probably not a bad idea to be more strict, as most 16-year-olds are immature idiots.😅

Back in the 70's in Ontario, you first wrote the test and then you were given a 365. It was a "pass" to drive during daylight hours for a year, or 365 days. Hence, we called it a 365. You could take a driving test whenever you wanted during that year. If you needed more time, you wrote the the test again. After the driving test you were a fully licensed driver. Much easier 😊.

I remember being in my 20s and having friends who were lazy about getting their G and letting it lapse and they had to start all over again. The process can be time consuming, but once you get that G, you're all set (assuming you don't get it suspended because of breaking the law) until you're 80. At that age, you're required to check in with the ministry every 5 years I think and retest.

Wow! It was 3 month learning license in the 90's, then you would get your regular one. Glad I did it back then.

So in British Columbia, we have graduated licensing. You go write a test on the computer if you pass you will get your "L" And that is a " learners permit." This is a magnet plate which you put on the back of your car. If you drive for a least 1 year without an inccident then you go On a driving test and you get your "N" magnet plate. You stick on your car. That is a "new driver" designation. And then after a year you do another driving test and you can get your full license without any magnets on the back of your car.

Very different now in Manitoba but decades ago I did my learners written test right when I turned 16 and then took my road test for my full license one week later. No restrictions, also could drive with any driver with my learners at any time. Lol, lived on a farm and took my road test in a small town of 2000 people. Still not crazy about city driving and always more comfortable on country roads and highways as that’s how I got to that small town as a teen. Lol. There is a graduated system here now as well, not sure if the same as Ontario.

"Back In The Day", when I turned 16 in 1969 I wrote the written test to obtain my "90 Day Learners Driving Permit" ten days after my birthday. This allowed one to drive at any time as long as they were accompanied by a licensed driver during the learning process. The expectation was that you would apply for the driving test to achieve your full license within 90 days. If you didn't take the on-road driving test within 90 days, it could be renewed for another 90 days for a small fee. However, if you chose to take the on-road driving test 20 days after obtaining your learner's permit, you were free to do so. It was not mandatory to attend a driver training course, but it was highly recommended, since most insurance companies provided a premium discount of 5 to 10 percent with proof of a certified driving course. This discount usually paid for the driving course within a few years of driving. The road test for your "G" license consisted of testing at a Ministry of Transport driving course (a 50 acre obstacle course with mock streets) and various parking scenarios would be performed there. If you passed on the testing course, the examiner would then have you drive out into live neighborhood traffic and then onto a Series 400 highway, before returning to the test center. I was fully licensed one month before my 17th birthday. At that time, there was a "Chauffeur Class Driver's License" which was necessary for testing for a manual transmission vehicle, which I was tested for. Testing for this license was more strict and difficult and allowed for zero errors. A "Chauffeur Class Driver's License" was required for anyone who drove an employer's vehicle for work, in order to be covered by the employer's insurance. The "Chauffeur's License allowed me to easily obtain summer jobs during high school and college years. The "G" (General Class License) allows a driver to drive a vehicle up to a weight of 4,600 kilograms and tow up to 11,000 kilograms. A special license is required to drive any vehicle over those weight restrictions, a motorcycle, a school bus or tractor trailers.

Every province is different.

I got my licence back in the Dark Ages when the rules in Ontario were much more like the American system. Got my learner's permit 2 days after my 16th birthday and took my road test 6 weeks later. I've never been in an accident in the decades since then. But this system is a very good way to ensure that we're sharing the road with competent and hopefully safe drivers, no matter what their age. Fun fact: if you are already a fully licenced driver from another province, the USA and many other countries, you can just exchange your foreign licence for an Ontario one without going through the whole graduated program.

The restiction on the accompanying fully licenced driver is so that your sibling or friend who recently received their full licence isn't seen as someone qualified to teach you how to drive.

We have a health card in Ontario that can act as a form of id with photograph.. Part of the universal health care

For people that don't know about the 401, the portion of it that goes through Toronto is the busiest highway in North America and one of the widest. At its widest point, the 401 is 18 lanes.

I got my licence in Ontario but back in the 70's. Back then it was get your learners permit and then take the drivers test to get your full licence, there were no restrictions on when or where you could drive on a learners permit just that you had to be with a licenced driver. I was fully licenced 6 months after my 16th birthday. I think that today's drivers are better for the additional time required, my father happened to teach defensive driving which was a great help, few kids are so lucky.

The G licence from Ontario is for driving cars. There are other classes for trucks, motorcycles, taxi, etc. in Quebec, a G would be called a class 5 licence.

As a northern Ontario resident, in my day, we would have to first get our '365', or learners permit that is valid for one year. You had up to one year to take your test for your full license, or you could queue up right away and take your test minutes after getting your learners.

One of the main reasons for the restrictions are to prevent carloads of teenagers in horrific collisions. We have snow and ice and a lot of land to travel. Basically it ensures that the copilot is not another teenager. Hope that helps make some sense of it. It's for safety and ultimately to prevent deaths of multiple kids in one collision as much as possible. This is also why the 0 bac before 21 (drinking ages are 18 and 19 here)

Yup, G1, G2, and G for me!

Way back, like 60 yrs. ago when I got my license, things were much simpler but each year for about 4-5 yrs and first snow fall I would go to .a large parking area, put my car into a skid with the express purpose of reminding myself how to get out of ,the skid, straighten out and proceed without going into another skid by accelerating too fast. It takes lots of practice, for sure.

I live in Ontario and when I was young, I got my learner's permit and my license at 16. However, most accidents happen with new drivers. In Ontario, they decided to go to graduated licenses to reduce accidents around 1994. A G license is good for any car van or small truck. Other types of licenses are for large trucks, buses or school buses. Many young people take the course because it reduces the insurance fee - parents do teach as well. Parallel parking is still a big one.

400 series are expressway, like your interstate, where there would be high density traffic. Other highway, 2 lane highways are ok to use, but their speed limits are lower too.

Got my licence way back in the 70’s in Toronto. Took driving lessons because it helped reduce the cost of insurance. Last lesson we drove on the 401. There wasn’t the current chaos that the highway has now but it was still nerve racking for a newbie driver. Lucky the tester didn’t take us on a highway drive!

If you take an accredited driver's education program, you can usually get a discount on your insurance.

True story - i went to get my learners permit here in Nova Scotia when i was 17. The DMV clerk said - read the eye chart. I said theres a chart?! (Couldn't see it 😂) she yelled NEXT!

Quickly searching, American states don't vary much more than Canadian provinces - meaning they are all different, but a lot of areas in both countries have different time frames for getting a learners permit (license), take a course, then go try for your full license. Each jurisdiction goes about it differently, different lengths of time, but they all have similar processes. Taking two different places, Nova Scotia and Massachusetts for example, they're almost identical other than using different terms to explain the stage you're in. A new driver in Nova Scotia gets an 'N' on their card, where MA gets a 'JOL' - same type of restrictions like can't drive between 12AM-5AM, no BAC, etc.. Same other type of requirements like having to get a driving course before applying for regular license, maintain a clean record while having your learners, pass an exam, etc.. Really not all that different in some areas. Just looking at Ontario and thinking it applies to Canada, would be no different than any of us watching a similar video about New York and applying it to all of America.

I believe this system started in 1994 in Ontario. My son got in just under the wire with the old system in December 1993. Our old system sounds very similar to the system America still uses. In 1964, the day my husband turned 16, he wrote the test and took the road test same day and went home with his licence.

In the 70's when I obtained my drivers license it was far less complicated. The first step was a 90 day learners permit and it wasn't necessary to complete the 90 days before taking the road test to become fully licensed. If you wanted to work as a delivery driver or taxi driver then you would be required to undergo further testing to acquire a chauffer's license. It's also interesting to note that if you bought a car you would require insurance of course. Obviously going through a regular insurance provider you'd pay a high premium, however you had an option to pay a $90 premium for government insurance. This however had a pretty serious drawback wherein if you were involved in an accident you would be on the hook for paying the repair costs to your vehicle even if you were not at fault, and if you were at fault then you would also be liable to pay for repairs to the other vehicle(s) and compensation for any serious injuries to the other party involved. Needless to say this insurance option was discontinued long ago.

Back when we would break with our feet like the Flintstones, we had a written exam to get our learners (basic restrictions) and a driving test to get your drivers (no restrictions). Things have changed a lot since then. The funny thing was, I drove my self to the drivers test because nobody was available. I managed to pass, thank goodness, lol.

When I was learning with my G1, my mother went with me most times, but one day she was busy and said to take my father with me, so I did. It was the first and last time I took him with me. I refused to ever drive with him in the car again, because every time I drove past cars parked on the side of the road, he'd start yelling "look out! look out!" as if I was about to side swipe the cars, even though I was a few feet away from them. And when I stopped at a stop sign, he would say "don't wait all day, geez". If I was going even 3 km/h under the speed limit, he'd start getting on my case and telling me to speed up. He got on my nerves so badly, and made me more nervous because he kept freaking out over little things. I got fed up and drove home after about 15 minutes. When my mother saw us, she started grinning. She asked me how it went, and I said "That was the first and last time I'm ever driving with him in the car." and she laughed.

When I was 16, it used to be similar to how it is in the US. I live in Ontario and at that time, you could get something called a 365 at age 15. This is like your learner’s permit. Then at the age of 16, you could go for your driver’s license by doing a road test and that was it. Completely different now.

It's basically the same here in Missouri to get full unrestricted Drivers license. Step 1 take written test and get permit at age 15, Step 2 take behind the wheel driving test and if passed get intermittent license at age 16, this has several restrictions. Full unrestricted license can be obtained at age 18. The many blanket statements given about how it is different in the US vs Canada is just silly, since every state has different rules for obtaining a drivers license.

You don't have to take a driving course, but if you do, you can do your road test to get your G2 after 8 months instead of 12, and many insurance companies will give you a reduced rate. The driving instructors also know the road test route and will take you through essentially a practice test multiple times, giving you a much better chance of passing. Plus, you can't get any highway experience without a driving instructor, and you'll have to merge on and off the highway for your test.

I really enjoyed your video and comments plus learning more about the world around me. I had to do my driving test just after a horrible snow storm and the roads were icy and not clear in some areas steep hills. I passed and instructor was very impressed how well I was clam and focused while driving. It was in 1981

I don’t drive the way I used to. Tickets and accidents aren’t worth the few minutes.

I got my Ontario licence back in the mid 90s when I was 19, just before this graduated licencing program was implemented. I actually flunked my first test, scheduled another test a couple weeks later, and got licenced. A friend who was going through the process at the same time also failed that first test, but couldn't get a retest early enough, and ended up in the graduated system. Looking back on it, despite taking longer, I think he got the better exsperience.

BC has a graduated licence system too

There are many restrictions at each level. G1 drivers can only drive on city street, must have a fully licensed driver in the car with them & no night time driving. With each step you are granted more access levels. And only when you reach level 3 are you allowed access to Provincial Highway with speed limits at 100km. Going to driving school also give you much better insurance rates for your car.

It used to be easier in Ontario as well before graduated licensing came in

When i moved from Canada to the US (Kentucky) I had to take the road trst again, and it was embarrassingly easy. They don't even let you go on a main road because it's not safe, but as soon as you pass there's no restrictions. They're horrible drivers down here.

I'm laughing right now. This video comes strangely on point. We've let a family member drive our car to practice before her test. They hit an ice patch, ending up in the ditch and there was nothing my hubby could do. Our car is now considered totaled.

I've checked out a lot of these comments Tyler...you really chose a great topic today. Keep up the great job. I look for your videos each day

Canadians need to have more skills than most American states because we have to factor in driving in winter. Also,.different in every province.

I grew up in small town Saskatchewan, which is a large farming community. It’s the norm there that if you’re tall enough to reach the pedals you are old enough to drive farm machinery, including tractors and grain trucks. My class took Driver’s Ed in grade 10 and all got our learners permits in November. My one classmate’s birthday is in January. He took his road test on his 16th birthday and passed with flying colours. So he had his learner’s permit for less than 3 months. That was back in the 90’s, long before the graduated driver’s program now.

Where is the rest of Rick Mercer....Talking To Americans?

In BC it’s similar, pass a multiple test and get your learners permit and you need to have a red L on the back of the vehicle. Once you have the learners for three months, you take a new driver road test, once passed (took my kid 4 tries) you get a green N on the back of the vehicle. You have to renew it every 2 years. Do another road test and you get your full drivers license and do not need to display anything on the rear of the vehicle.

I was in BC growing up when they introduced graduation licensing in our province. I missed the cutoff of the old system by 1month. I had buddy’s with their full licence at 16 while I had to wait….

I got my licence in Quebec in the ''70s. I applied for it the day I turned 16, got my Learner's Permit and by the summer I did the road test and passed. The instructor made me drive about 3 streets and didn't even have to parallel park. I got my licence shortly after in the mail. It was so easy. No fuss, no muss. The joke is that even now, after decades of driving, insurance companies will give me a discount if I had taken a driving school course. Give me a break. I was taught to drive by my uncle on Sundays in a shopping centre parking lot. They used to be closed then on Sundays. The hardest part was sitting on a phone book to see over the dash. How times have changed.

The graduated living system has significantly cut down on teen driver accident deaths. Hwy 401 through Toronto can get up to 16 lanes of traffic at times. It is also the MOST dangerous highway in all of North America. Generally, Highways are roads with a speed limit of 100km/h or more. Taking an approved drivers education can also lessen your insurance (with some companies) when you become a G2 or G driver.

When my grandmother wanted her license, 60 years ago. She walked into the RCMP station I said she needed a drivers license. The RCMP officer asked her how she got there. She said she drove and he handed her drivers license.

We have a similar program in BC. When I got my license, you could get a learner's permit at 16 (written test, permitted me to drive with a licensed driver). After 30 days, you could take your practical driving test. If you passed that, you had a fully graduated basic license (you'd need additional tests if you wanted motorcycle, commercial or bus licenses). By the time my youngest sister was old enough to drive, additional steps were introduced. The written test still got you a learners' permit, but you could only drive with a fully licensed driver who had at least 3 years driving experience themselves, you couldn't have any other passengers, and could only drive during daylight hours. You also had to display an "L" placard on the back of your vehicle. I forget how long you had to wait before you could take your next test - I think it depended on whether you took professional driving instruction courses or not. When you passed that practical test, you'd graduate to a new driver license and had to display an "N" placard on the back of your car. I don't recall what all the limitations on that license are, but there are some. After (I think) 2 years of driving, you could take another test to get a fully graduated license. I got my motorcycle license years later, while the graduated system was in place in BC. Fortunately, I didn't have to go through the whole graduated program since I already had a valid driver's license. I just had to do a written test for a learner's permit for the motorcycle, then took 2 practical tests on the motorcycle to get the motorcycle endorsement added to my existing driver's license.

Graduated license came in, in Nova Scotia Canada just after I got my license. Before that it was 16 beginners and after 6 mnts you could take your driver's test to get your full license

There are also many areas in Ontario where there are no 400 level highways; so students in these areas will not be tested on how they drive on 4, 6, 8 lane highways. On the otherhand, students in these areas will have learned how to negotate two lane highspeed roads (90-100 km/hr); as still exists in some sections of the trans-canada highway. Only the larger cities in Canada have extensive 4 lane or more highspeed highways.

Here in British Columbia, the graduated system goes like this : At age 16, you can take a vision test and knowledge test to earn an L - a large magnetic decal (Learner) that has to be on the car at all times you are learning to drive, BUT ONLY WITH a fully licenced person over the age of 25 beside the driver giving instruction. No driving other young people around. No passengers allowed except with a driving instructor also in the front seat. After 1 year of supervised L practise, in daylight hours only, you can book a Novice road test. With a pass you will get an N decal to be displayed. It's another year minimum of restricted driving. You can finally take the full automobile Class 5 road test once you've been a Novice driver for 24 consecutive months without any driving prohibitions or tickets. Then you are allowed to drive any car or light truck. For Taxis, Uber drivers, ambulance, police, and medium and heavy trucks, and motorcyclists additional levels of training, background checks and testing are required. To get licenced to operate a semi trailer rig in BC costs well over $25,000 and takes a year, after achieving a class 5 licence. And minimum age is 25 to take the tests. Our taxi, Uber and heavy truck drivers also must take medicals annually. We believe North America's best drivers live here in beautiful B.C.

The reason it takes so long for each phase is to insure every driver has time to drive in all seasons.

On my first lesson back in the 70's my instructor took me on to the decarie expressway and the 401 and taught me how to pass and weave between cars .This WAS Montreal in the 70's.Never had a problem driving in Europe the rest of my life,lol

I'm in northern Ontario. In the mid 70s I got my learner's then took driving lessons in the winter. I don't recall if there was a mandatory time to have learner's before getting a full license. That summer I was able to get my motorcycle license and a few months later, my full car license. Graduated licensing started in Ontario in 1994.

Don't forget that in Canada we have to drive in difficult weather conditions. Driving in the US or Canada is the same except for kilometers and french signs. All the symbols are international ones. In some area, you are allowed to turn right on a red light. My nieces in California had to be out of the road after 11h00 pm at night. In Canada, we had a lot of teens accidents with a lot of deaths so we tried to prevent that.

Ontario was the first North America jurisdiction to implement graduated licencing in 1994. I don’t remember the exact number but it reduced novice driver collisions by about 1/3. Their program was modeled after New Zealand, the first country to implement graduated licencing

This is Ontario. In the 70's i got my learner's licence in alberta at age 14. Got my licence at age 16. That being said, i remember driving in Alberta in winter, there are times you are spinning in the middle of the road, and other drivers are adept at avoiding spinning cars. I also remember avoiding other spinning cars. But, truly, I have always used the imaginary brake when somebody else is driving . . . except when I lived in Quebec. MAN! Those people drive well in winter conditions.

8:41 usually people will bring their insurance card and birth certificate as pieces of ID.

You are starting to Canadian very well, you nailed the late night Tim's run XD

It’s not like that everywhere in Canada. For instance, here in Alberta some at the age of 14 can drive with a farmers designation on their license. Each province is responsible for licensing, they may have similarities but they differ. And the damn car insurance varies greatly from province to province, it’s ridiculous.

From Canada...thank you for doing these video's. This is amazing.

While Highway 400 was originally known as the Toronto-Barrie Highway, the route has been extended well beyond Barrie to north of Parry Sound, and is projected to reach its eventual terminus in Sudbury in the 2020s. As of 2012, the length of the highway is 226.0 km (140.4 mi) with an additional 152 km (94 mi) planned.

I grew up in Saskatchewan and got my full license one year before the Province introduced a graduated licensing system. So, I got my learners permit at 15 and full license at 16.

The different levels is good for keeping kids alive. Took my learners course at 15, permit by 16 that allowed driving with a licensed parent, then did my test and got my young driver license which is like a G2. It essentially allows you to drive a car at 16 but with a bunch of life saving limitations on alcohol and time of day, and also costs more for insurance. Once you get your full license the insurance gets much cheaper and there are no restrictions

This program is approximately 30 years old in ONTARIO, prior to this was the 365 learner's permit (also in Ontario) which carried restrictions...it pretty much ended with the youngest of Generation X turning 16...365=1 year, any time within that year you could try for your full licence...my best friend was a fully licenced driver at 18 days past her 16th birthday. Long before these was a 90-day learner's permit. Oh also, a G1/G2 learner's permit has a 5-year expiry. So as you see, the system changed with the ages.

When I was in HS I took Driver’s Education. This was late 80s in SK. We had classes, driving simulators and practice driving with the instructor. For whatever reason, at that time, at the end of the Program, if the instructor thought we were competent enough we had a choice of taking a road test and getting our license right away provided we passed. OR we could get our license right away but be put on a 2 year probation and then if we had any issues we would have to take the road test. I took the 2 year probation option. So technically I received my drivers license without having to take a road test.

If you take a Drivers Ed class, you get a break on insurance as well. Insuring a young male is really expensive, so it is worth it.

Where I am from in Canada, I had to pass two written tests and a road test to get my novice 1 ( a level of license) I then had to go six months without a single incident (no tickets) to go on to novice 2. That I had to go a full year without a single incident. After that, I got my graduated license. I had to go through five different licenses to fully graduate (identification card (showing that I was going through driver’s training classes), learners (showing that I could drive with parents and driver instructors)( have to pass the two written tests to get this level), then after six hour of classes and 6 hours of driving you were eligible to go for the road test. Once passed you got your novice one license. I can’t remember the restrictions but I remember that it was quite plentiful in what I could not do. After 6 months like I said previously, you got your novice 2 license in the mail. After another year, I got my full class five graduated license. I started the process as soon as I turned 16, it took me until a month before my 18th birthday to get my full license.

When getting my road test in the 80s we would start from the parking lot, which had a stop sign on a tall fence, a sidewalk, then like 10 feet of grass area before the roadway. According to the road rules you had to full stop at all 3 spots or lose points off your road test before you left the parking lot.

In Alberta, you go for your Learners Permit, at 16 you can get your drivers, they did have a thing called GDl for quite a few years, they abolished it last year, the GDl (Graduated Driver's License) was tacked onto your DL for 2 years, many just kept their GDL until it was time to renew their Drivers License as it was another expense to have the GDL removed

I had a very abusive upbringing and my father decided when I was a teenager that I wasn't "mature" enough to drive a car, so he forbade me in the 90s from getting my license until I was past the age of 20. Back then, there was no Learner's Permit. You just basically practiced until you could pass the test. Now, at least in British Columbia, we have an L (Learner's, meaning you have to drive with someone else in the car), an N (meaning you can drive, but with zero blood alcohol, never at night, etc) and then you get your full license, where there are no added restrictions supplementing whatever is in the law for adults. It's brutal and a lot of people giving the road test are power hungry maniacs who don't care about your ability to drive safely, but it's better than a system that just lets a 16 year old get a license easily so they can pretend they're Vin Diesel in a souped up car. That's the way it used to be. That's how all my friends in high school got their license. It was that easy. Now, it's brutal. The testers have far more power the crown/goverment corporation that handles these things is in it to make a buck, so they intentionally try to get you nervous because a fail means you have to come back and spend another $60 to take it again. I used to drive daily across a highway and through residential areas safely for 15 years to go to work every day, and I still flunked my full license the first time. I'm hardly an aggressive driver and never have been. My last tester wanted me to speed through a residential area with kids playing and I took too long to back into a parking spot, so he automatically failed me. There's keeping the road safe from stupid teenagers and then there's telling a guy in his late 30s who has never been in an accident that they can't drive.

Back in the 90's it was learners at 15.5 years of age. We had a driving instructor in highschool that taught and took you out on the road and approved your learners. Then at 16 you could take a driver's test and get a full license at 16. Nowa days I have no clue what all this stuff is.

Every province in different. I grew up in British Columbia where the stages are Learner's (L, Class 7L), New Driver (N, Class 7N), and full passenger vehicle license (Class 5). Step 1: You can write your written test for L the day you turn 16. Earning this lets you practice on public roads while displaying a red "L" magnet on the back of your vehicle. Must have a fully licensed age 25+ front seat passenger and no other passengers. Exemption: 1 first degree relative additional passenger in the back seat. Step 2: Eligible to take road test for N at 12 months with no driving violations. This is a supervised test with the tester in the front passenger seat and no back seat passengers, and includes a parking demonstration. Once you earn the N you must display the green "N" magnet on the back of your vehicle. 0 tolerance on alcohol, 0 tolerance on hand-held device usage, 1 passenger limit (2 if first degree relative) unless the front seat passenger is a fully licensed age 25+ driver. Step 3: No less than 24 months after earning your L (18 with certain driving school programs) and no driving violations, you REPEAT THE DRIVING TEST. If you fail, you keep your N. If you pass, you get rid of the N and no longer have passenger limits. Full license at age 18+ with 1 written test and 2 road tests. I now live in Newfoundland. Age 16 write learner's test, must display some sort of "student/novice driver" sign in back window or on back bumper, must have fully licensed driver with 4+ year experience as front passenger, no driving between midnight and 5am. Age 17+ having held the learner's permit for 12+ months, eligible to take the road test. Same as BC, tester in front passenger seat, no other passengers, includes parking (reverse and parallel.) Cannot use backup camera. Passing this road test awards you a level 2 license, which is a full license with restrictions. You need an employer's note to drive during the midnight-5am curfew and there's 0 tolerance on alcohol, hand-held electronics, etc. At 12 months you're automatically mailed a replacement full license and the restrictions go away, no second road test. No passenger limits at any point after passing the road test. (Well, my tester said "your passenger limit is the number of seatbelts available.") Full license at age 18+ with 1 written test and 1 road test.