The British Columbia Trucking Association (BCTA) has convened the first meeting of its newly established Dashcam Task Force, bringing together carriers and technology suppliers to gather industry feedback, identify implementation considerations and develop recommendations for the provincial government as regulations are drafted for British Columbia’s new commercial vehicle dashboard camera legislation.
The task force will serve as BCTA’s primary forum for consulting members during the province’s stakeholder engagement process, with the association invited to participate in discussions as the government develops regulations to support Bill M217, the Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act.
The legislation requires commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 11,793 kg to be equipped with forward-facing dashboard cameras capable of recording in at least 1080p, retaining a minimum of 72 hours of footage, providing night vision capability and storing recordings using the manufacturer’s default settings.
While the legislation has been passed, it will not take effect until supporting regulations are finalized and brought into force, according to a BCTA news release. Those regulations are expected to establish many of the operational and technical requirements governing how the legislation will be implemented.
Bill M217, the Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act, was introduced by Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer as a private member’s bill and received unanimous support in the British Columbia Legislature in May 2026. Stamer first introduced the legislation following a series of fatal commercial vehicle crashes on B.C. highways, saying forward-facing dashboard cameras could improve road safety, assist collision investigations and help protect professional drivers from false claims.
During its first meeting, the task force discussed a range of topics that members believe would benefit from further clarification in the regulations.
Scope of legislation
Among them was the scope of the legislation, including whether specialized vocational vehicles such as cranes, concrete trucks and other heavy commercial equipment would fall within the requirements alongside conventional highway trucks and motorcoaches.
Members also discussed the relationship between the legislation’s minimum recording quality and 72-hour retention requirements, noting that some existing camera systems may require hardware upgrades to meet both standards simultaneously.
The task force examined storage options for recorded footage, with members discussing the benefits of both onboard and cloud-based storage. Participants noted that cloud storage can preserve footage if equipment is damaged and provide alerts when cameras malfunction, while local storage remains important in areas where cellular connectivity is limited.
Installation, maintenance and inspection standards were also discussed, with members suggesting the regulations provide guidance on camera positioning, maintenance and ongoing performance to help ensure recordings remain usable.
The group also discussed whether electronic logging device data, GPS location and vehicle speed information could provide useful context when video footage is reviewed.
Driver privacy
Driver privacy formed another part of the discussion. Members said the regulations should clearly distinguish between forward-facing cameras, which are required under the legislation, and inward-facing cameras or audio recording, which are not mandated. They also emphasized the importance of clear policies outlining when recording occurs, what information is collected and who can access it.
The task force also reviewed issues related to access to recorded footage, including which enforcement agencies may request recordings, how footage would be transferred, response timelines and the responsibilities of drivers, carriers and technology providers.
BCTA said the Dashcam Task Force will continue meeting throughout the provincial consultation process as it gathers additional feedback from members and develops recommendations for government on the implementation of the legislation.
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