I woke up this morning to news that would have Albertans reaching for their gas pedals: The provincial government’s proposal to raise speed limits on certain highways to 120 km/h.
It’s a move that Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen described yesterday as bringing “highway speeds into the 21st century.” The announcement landed during a press conference in Leduc, where Dreeshen outlined plans that could fundamentally change how Albertans travel across their sprawling province.
The proposal targets major four-lane divided highways, including sections of the QEII between Edmonton and Calgary, and Highway 16 between Edmonton and the Saskatchewan border. These stretches already see many drivers cruising above the current 110 km/h limit – something the government acknowledges as they frame this as aligning the law with real-world behavior.
“Most Albertans are already driving at these speeds,” Dreeshen noted, suggesting the change would “harmonize posted speed limits with the speeds at which people naturally drive.” His reasoning follows a familiar pattern in traffic management thinking: when speed limits match natural driving behavior, compliance improves.
But not everyone is tapping the accelerator in excitement. The Alberta Motor Association expressed immediate concerns, with spokesperson Jeff Kasbrick pointing to safety research that consistently shows higher speeds lead to more severe crashes when they do happen.
“Physics doesn’t change,” Kasbrick told me when I reached him for comment. “The higher the speed, the more severe the outcome when crashes occur. It’s that simple.”
The proposal isn’t just about letting Albertans drive faster. It’s wrapped in a broader package of changes to provincial traffic laws that would also include stiffer penalties for street racing and excessive speeding. The government is calling it a balanced approach that reflects both modern vehicle capabilities and safety concerns.
Some of this makes sense. Today’s vehicles do have more advanced safety features than the cars that were on the road when many speed limits were first established. Anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and lane-departure warnings have become standard equipment on newer models.
But Andrew Murie, CEO of MADD Canada, warns that technology only goes so far. “Higher speeds give drivers less time to react,” he said in a statement released hours after the announcement. “This is especially concerning when we consider impaired driving risks that already exist on our roads.”
If implemented, Alberta would join British Columbia’s Coquihalla Highway (where 120 km/h is already permitted on certain sections) as having Canada’s highest posted speed limits. Ontario and Quebec highways generally top out at 100 km/h, though certain 400-series highways in Ontario permit 110 km/h in pilot projects.
When I spoke with University of Alberta transportation engineer Dr. Amy Zheng, she pointed to international examples worth considering. “Germany’s Autobahn has sections without speed limits that function safely, but they also have extremely strict licensing requirements and road design standards,” she explained. “The question is whether Alberta’s infrastructure is built to the same specifications.”
The government says it is. According to documentation provided at yesterday’s announcement, the targeted highways have been assessed for safety features including wide shoulders, clear zones, and proper banking on curves.
Local municipalities I contacted had mixed reactions. The mayor of Leduc seemed cautiously supportive, while officials from smaller communities along Highway 16 expressed concerns about transition areas where highways pass through their towns.
For everyday drivers, the change could shave about 10 minutes off the Edmonton to Calgary drive. That’s not revolutionary, but it adds up for regular commuters and commercial drivers. The trucking industry, however, remains divided on the proposal.
“Our commercial vehicles are speed-governed at 105 km/h for fuel efficiency and safety reasons,” said Alberta Trucking Association spokesperson Chris Nash. “This could potentially create larger speed differentials between passenger vehicles and commercial traffic, which brings its own safety challenges.”
The proposal enters a 60-day public consultation period before any changes would be implemented. The government plans to collect feedback through online surveys and community meetings in Edmonton, Calgary, and Red Deer.
When changes like this happen, I always look for the political calculus. The UCP government has faced criticism on multiple fronts recently, from healthcare to education. A speed limit increase is the kind of populist policy that tends to play well with their rural and suburban base – voters who typically spend more time on highways and value what they see as common-sense regulations.
If approved, new speed limit signs could appear as early as spring 2025, according to ministry officials. The costs of replacing signage across hundreds of kilometers of highway wasn’t specified in the announcement.
As I drove home last night along the QEII, I found myself watching my speedometer more carefully than usual, wondering if this stretch of asphalt I’ve traveled hundreds of times might soon feel very different. Or perhaps, as the government suggests, it will simply make legal what many drivers are already doing.
For now, keep your speed in check. The 110 km/h limit remains firmly in place until any legislative changes are approved – something the government hopes to accomplish before the next provincial election.
