Obligations of owners of land bordering a provincial road

If you own land bordering a national, regional or collector road managed by the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable (MTMD), you must comply with the following obligations. Your cooperation is essential to make sure the remains intact.

To find out if your property borders a provincial road, refer to the interactive map of MTMD’s road network (in French only).

Your property begins only at the limit of the . To find out where this line is located, refer to your certificate of location or consult a land surveyor.

You must obtain the appropriate authorizations before undertaking any work within the road right of way. Refer to the permits for encroachments on the provincial network permits and authorizations section (in French only) to determine which permit applies to the work you intend to carry out and to learn about the procedure for obtaining it.

If work is carried out in the road right of way without the required authorization, or if the work does not comply with the approved application, MTMD may send you a written notice requiring you to make the necessary changes within a specific period. If the required corrective work is not completed within the timeframe, MTMD may have it carried out at your expense. MTMD may also require you to restore the site to its original condition.

MTMD determines the location and construction requirements for any private access driveway to ensure that it is functional and safe for users. More specifically, it determines its width, configuration, length, and the diameter of any drainage pipe that may be required.

Applicable standards vary according to the type of driveway (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, forestry or livestock operation).

Driveway configuration varies according to:

• its rural or urban location
• the road geometry (slope, curve, ditch, etc.)
• the driveway geometry (embankment, excavation, etc.)

For further information, please contact the service centre for your region.

A poorly maintained driveway can damage the roadway and increase the risk of road collisions. That’s why you need to keep your driveway and the drainage pipe beneath it in good condition, to facilitate the flow of surface water.

If the ditch running alongside your property is enclosed (with a pipe and fill), it’s also important to keep it in good condition, as it helps the road drain away. A well-maintained ditch helps keep roadway foundations from sinking.

To avoid clogging the ditch, you must avoid:

• Filling it with earth.
• Throwing dead leaves in it.
• Throwing grass clippings in it.
• Dumping snow in it.

If you wish to install a new mailbox, you must first inquire at your post office about Canada Post’s recommendations for your proposed location. If Canada Post authorizes the installation of a new mailbox, and this mailbox is located within the right of way of an MTMD highway, you must make sure you comply with all applicable standards and guidelines. 

Here are just a few of the rules:

• The box must not encroach on the shoulder of the road, so as not to interfere with road maintenance work or the safety of cyclists using the road.
• A mailbox located next to a driveway must be placed after the driveway, on the right-hand side when exiting the driveway, to increase the safety of mail delivery personnel.
• The post supporting the box should be made of wood, plastic, or light metal, and designed in such a way that it can tip over on impact.
• The box must be securely fastened to its support so that it cannot separate from it if struck by a road vehicle.
• The box must be free of reflectors or other elements that could create confusion with existing road signs or obstruct the visibility and legibility of these signs.

For all the rules, see the brochure on new rural mailboxes, Installation de nouvelles boîtes aux lettres en milieu rural (in French only) (PDF 2.13 Mb), or contact the service centre for your region.

It’s important to observe these rules, as mailboxes that are too close to the road can be damaged by maintenance vehicles. In addition, it’s not very safe for a postal worker to deliver mail if their vehicle is unable to completely clear the traffic lane. The same risk applies to residents picking up their mail.

Fences, low walls, and lighting systems must not endanger road users. It’s also important to avoid collisions with these structures. For this reason, they must never be placed within the road right of way.

Avoid planting trees or any other types of fast-growing vegetation at the property line. These plants can impede visibility or risk falling onto the road.

To make sure children are safe, schoolbus shelters should be installed in the private driveway and outside the road right of way. This helps reduce the risk of them being struck by vehicles.

To avoid obstructing visibility, it is also important to install the shelter on the right-hand side of the driver leaving the private driveway while moving forward.

For safety reasons and to avoid damage, seasonal carports must be set back from the road right of way.

Advertising signs must not encroach on the road right of way. In addition, they must not create confusion or interfere with existing traffic control devices. 

• the public and commercial signage (in French only) information sheet
• the page on the need for a permit before installing advertising signs along a provincial highway (in French only)
• your municipality’s bylaws (in French only) governing signage and advertising
• the service centre for your region