National Highway System (Canada)
The National Highway System in Canada was established by the Council of Canadian Ministers of Transportation. It represents the successor or the addition to the concept of the Trans-Canada Highway from 1949 and was decided in 1988. The aim of the Trans-Canada Highway at the time was to connect all provinces by a highway that met certain minimum standards in road construction. When introduced in 1988, 24,500 km were added to the National Highway System, and by 2017 the network had been expanded to 38,098 km. With the exception of the Trans-Canada Highway, the roads themselves are not marked with special road signs.
history
In 1949 the concept of a Trans-Canada Highway was decided. From 1950 a highway was built or existing road sections were used to connect the west and east coast of Canada. A distance of 7,821 km connected Victoria in the province of British Columbia with St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador . The Trans-Canada Highway was opened in 1962 by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker , but construction was not completed until 1971.
At a meeting of the Canadian transport ministers in 1988, it was decided to expand the existing system. The roads that were important for international and inter-provincial traffic were included in the National Highway System (NHS). In contrast to European road systems, most roads of supraregional importance, such as federal highways in Canada, are not subject to a federal authority, but are in provincial responsibility and ownership. As a result, only 3% of the road system is subject to the federal authorities, another 3% are the responsibility of the municipalities. Expansions in the NHS are therefore carried out by the Council of Transport Ministers, since the NHS was founded, this has been expanded by almost 13,600 km, the last significant changes were made in 2005, and since then there have been various minor adjustments.
structure
The National Highway System divides the roads into three categories:
Core routes
The core routes form the heart of the road network. They connect the provinces with each other or are connected to the important border crossing points. 27,726 km are run as core routes.
Feeder routes
These make up 4,456 km in the NHS. They do not primarily have an inter-provincial character, but lead to the core routes. They represent connections to population and industrial centers.
Northern and Remote Routes
These roads lead to the north of the country or to remote areas. These roads are 5917 km in circumference.
Route network
The provinces are responsible for the route network in 97% of all cases. It runs through all provinces and territories except Nunavut, which is not connected to the wider Canadian road network. The routes listed below are part of the National Highway System.
Classification:
C = core routes
F = Feeder Routes
N = Northern and Remote Routes
The green marked routes are part of the Trans-Canada Highway, which connects the east and west coast of Canada.
Alberta
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Saskatchewan border at Walsh - British Columbia border at Kicking Horse Pass | C. | 534.7 |
2 | Fort McLeod - Edmonton | C. | 447.8 |
Donnelly - Highway 35 at Grimshaw | C. | 82.4 | |
3 | Medicine Hat - British Columbia border at Crowsnest Pass | C. | 324.1 |
4th | Montana Border - Lethbridge | C. | 103.4 |
9 | Calgary - Saskatchewan Border | C. | 324.8 |
15 / 28 / 28A / 63 | Highway 16 in Edmonton - Fort McMurray | C. | 431.3 |
16 | Saskatchewan border in Lloydminster - British Columbia border at Yellowhead Pass | C. | 641.1 |
28 | Highway 63 in Edmonton - Cold Lake | F. | 215.5 |
35 | Highway 2 at Grimshaw - border to the Northwest Territories on the Hay River | C. | 465.4 |
43 | Edmonton - British Columbia border west of Grande Prairie | C. | 498.9 |
49 | Valleyview - Donnelly | C. | 76.6 |
58 | Rainbow Lake - Highway 35 in High Level | N | 139.6 |
Highway 35 in High Level - Highway 88 north of Fort Vermilion | N | 56.9 | |
69 | Highway 63 at Saprae Creek - Fort McMurray Airport | C. | 6.0 |
201 | Highway 1 - Highway 1 (Calgary Bypass) | C. | 65.0 |
216 | Highway 16 - Highway 16 (Edmonton Bypass) | C. | 78.0 |
Calgary: Barlow Trail / 114th Ave
SE / 52nd St SE / Dufferrin Place |
Highway 2 - CP Intermodal Terminal | C. | 3.4 |
Calgary: Barlow Trail / 54th Ave SE / 27th
St SE |
Highway 2 - CN Intermodal Terminal | C. | 1.9 |
British Columbia
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Alberta border at Kicking Horse Pass - Victoria | C. | 993.0 |
2 | Alberta border at Tupper - Dawson Creek | C. | 42.0 |
3 | Alberta border at Crowsnest Pass - Hope | C. | 833.0 |
4th | Highway 19 west of Parksville - Port Alberni | F. | 38.0 |
5 | Tete Jaune Cache - Hope | C. | 531.0 |
11 | Abbotsford - Washington border south of Abbotsford | C. | 3.0 |
15th | Washington border south of Surrey - Highway 99 in Surrey | C. | 3.0 |
16 | Alberta border at Yellowhead Pass - Prince Rupert | C. | 1074.0 |
17th | Victoria - Highway 99 in Surrey | C. | 44.0 |
19th | Nanaimo - Parksville | C. | 41.0 |
Highway 1 south of Nanaimo - Duke Point Ferry Terminal | C. | 7.6 | |
Parksville - Campbell River | F. | 118.4 | |
37 | Highway 16 at Terrace - Kitimat | F. | 57.7 |
Highway 16 at Kitwanga - Alaska Highway | N | 724.0 | |
95 | Highway 3 west of Yahk - Idaho border at Eastport | F. | 11.3 |
97 | Cache Creek - border to the Yukon near Teslin | C. | 1812.0 |
Highway 97C west of the West Bank - Highway 97A / B north of Vernon | C. | 80.0 | |
Highway 97 C west of the West Bank - Penticton | F. | 44.1 | |
Penticton - Washington border south of Osoyoos | F. | 65.0 | |
97A | Highway 97A / B north of Vernon - Sicamous | C. | 66.0 |
97B | Highway 97A / B north of Vernon - Salmon Arm | C. | 14.0 |
97C | Merritt - Highway 97 west of the West Bank | C. | 106.0 |
99 | Washington border south of Surrey - Highway 1 in Vancouver | C. | 59.0 |
Highway 1 in Vancouver - Whistler | C. | 103.0 | |
101 | Langdale - Powell River | F. | 112.2 |
Vancouver : McGill St. | Highway 1 - Port of Vancouver (Vanterm and Centerm) | C. | 4.0 |
Delta : Deltaport Way | Highway 99 - Port of Vancouver (Deltaport) | C. | 10.0 |
Surrey : River Rd. And Elevator Rd. | Highway 17/99 - Fraser River Port | C. | 15.0 |
Prince Rupert : Fairview Terminals Rd. | Highway 16 - Prince Rupert Harbor | C. | 2.0 |
Richmond : Bridgeport Rd./Sea Island Way | Highway 99 - Vancouver International Airport | C. | 1.7 |
Victoria : McTavish / Canora / Willingdon Rd. | Highway 17 - Victoria Airport | C. | 0.8 |
Kelowna : Airport Way | Highway 97 - Kelowna Airport | C. | 0.3 |
Abbotsford : Mt. Lehman Rd. | Highway 1 - Abbotsford Airport | C. | 2.9 |
Prince George : Old Cariboo Highway | Highway 16 - Prince George Airport | C. | 5.0 |
Vancouver: 176th St., 104 Ave. | Highway 1 - CN Vancouver Intermodal Terminal | C. | 2.0 |
Vancouver: Hwy 7 / 7B, Kennedy Rd. | Highway 1 / 7B - CP Vancouver Intermodal Facility | C. | 14.0 |
Manitoba
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ontario border at West Hawk Lake - Saskatchewan border at Elkhorn | C. | 500.1 |
6th | Highway 100 near Winnipeg - Thompson | F. | 740.6 |
10 | Brandon - Highway 16 west of Minnedosa | C. | 93.6 |
10/ 60 | Highway 6 south of Grand Rapids - Flin Flon | N | 368.2 |
16 | Portage la Prairie - Saskatchewan border west of Russell | C. | 267.2 |
75 | Winnipeg - North Dakota border near Emerson | C. | 93.6 |
Winnipeg : Winnipeg Route 90, Sargent Rd., Wellington Rd. | Highway 101 at Winnipeg - James H. Richardson Airport | C. | 13.3 |
101 | Highway 1 - Highway 1 (Winnipeg North Bypass) | C. | 49.6 |
221 | Highway 101 at Winnipeg - CPR Weston | C. | 13.9 |
Winnipeg: Plessis Road | Highway 100 - Symington Yard | C. | 6.0 |
Newfoundland and Labrador
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Channel-Port aux Basques - St. John's | C. | 911.0 |
2 | Route 1 at Mount Pearl - St. John's Harbor | C. | 14.8 |
40 | Route 1 in St. John's - St. John's Airport | C. | 1.3 |
100 | Route 1 south of Blaketown - Ferry Terminal at Argentia | C. | 44.0 |
340 | Route 1 south of Lewisporte - Lewisporte Marine Terminal | C. | 15.0 |
350 | Route 1 east of Grand Falls-Windsor - Botwood | C. | 17.6 |
430 | Route 1 at Deer Lake - Ferry Terminal at St. Barbe | F. | 298.0 |
450A | Route 1 in Corner Brook - Corner Brook Harbor | C. | 3.9 |
500 | Québec border west of Labrador City - Labrador City | N | 19.0 |
500/ 510 | Labrador City - Blanc-Sablon | N | 1142.0 |
New Brunswick
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Petitcodiac - Maine border at St. Stephen | C. | 240.0 |
2 | Québec border north of Edmundston - Nova Scotia border east of Sackville | C. | 515.2 |
7th | Highway 1 east of Saint John - Route 2 south of Oromocto | C. | 76.5 |
8th | Bathurst - Miramichi | F. | 70.2 |
Fredericton - Miramichi | F. | 191.3 | |
11 | Bathurst - Campbellton | F. | 106.5 |
Miramichi - Route 15 in Shediac | F. | 122.0 | |
Miramichi - Bathurst | F. | 176.7 | |
15th | Moncton - Port Elgin | C. | 59.5 |
16 | Route 2 west of Sackville - mid- Confederation Bridge | C. | 58.1 |
17th | Campbellton - Maine border in Saint-Léonard | F. | 147.0 |
95 | Route 2 in Woodstock - Maine border east of Woodstock | C. | 14.4 |
111 | Route 1 in Rothesay - Saint John Airport | C. | 9.6 |
Fredericton : Nevers Rd., Route 102 | Route 2 - Fredericton Airport | C. | 5.8 |
Saint John : Municipal streets | Route 1 - St. John East Side Harbor | F. | 6.7 |
Route 1 - St. John West Side Harbor | F. | 2.6 | |
Moncton : Route 15, Harrisville Vol.,
Dieppe Vol., Route 132 |
Route 2 - Moncton Airport | C. | 6.2 |
Belledune : Turgeon Rd. | Route 11 - Port of Belledune | F. | 4.7 |
Northwest Territories
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 - Mackenzie Highway | Alberta border on Hay River - Highway 3 west of Hay River | C. | 187.0 |
Highway 3 west of Hay River - Wrigley | N | 505.5 | |
2 - Hay River Highway | Enterprise - Hay River | C. | 48.6 |
Highway 1 south of Hay River - Yellowknife | C. | 340.0 | |
4 - Ingraham Highway | Yellowknife - km 69.2 | N | 69.2 |
8 - Dempster Highway | Yukon border west of Fort McPherson - Inuvik | N | 272.5 |
Nova Scotia
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
101 | Bedford - Yarmouth | C. | 309.2 |
102 | Halifax - Truro | C. | 102.4 |
103 | Halifax - Yarmouth | F. | 294.3 |
104 | New Brunswick border west of Amherst - Port Hastings | C. | 274.9 |
104/ 4 | Port Hastings - Sydney | C. | 130.0 |
105 / 125 | Sydney - North Sydney Ferry Terminal | C. | 22.5 |
106 | Highway 104 east of New Glasgow - Caribou ferry terminal | C. | 18.5 |
111 | Highway 118 in Dartmouth - Halifax: Victoria Rd. | C. | 3.0 |
Highway 118 at Dartmouth - Entrance to the Autoport Terminal | C. | 10.0 | |
118 | Highway 102 at Fall River - Highway 111 in Dartmouth | C. | 14.7 |
303 | Digby - Digby ferry terminal | C. | 7.5 |
Halifax : Joseph Howe Dr., Kempt Rd.,
Barrington St., Lower Water St., Hollis St. |
Highway 102 - Halifax Harbor | C. | 12.0 |
Nunavut is not affiliated with the NHS.
Ontario
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
QEW | Fort Erie - Toronto | C. | 139.0 |
3 | Highway 401 at Windsor - Michigan border at Windsor | C. | 11.0 |
Highway 77 - Highway 401 | F. | 39.0 | |
3B | Highway 401 at Windsor - Michigan border at Windsor | C. | 11.0 |
6th | Highway 401 at Guelph - Guelph | C. | 15.4 |
Highway 403 at Burlington - Highway 401 at Morriston | C. | 25.9 | |
Highway 403 at Hamilton - Hamilton Airport | C. | 10.0 | |
7th | Guelph - Kitchener | C. | 21.0 |
7/ 12 | Peterborough - Highway 11 at Orillia | C. | 130.0 |
7/ 115 | Peterborough - Highway 417 near Newcastle | C. | 250 |
8th | Kitchener - Stratford | C. | 45.0 |
Highway 401 at Preston - Kitchener | C. | 45.0 | |
10 | Highway 410 at Brampton - Highway 26 at Owen Sound | F. | 136.0 |
11 | North Bay - Nipigon | C. | 991.0 |
11 / 400A | Barrie - North Bay | C. | 239.0 |
12 | Highway 400 near Waubaushene - Highway 93 near Midland | F. | 21.0 |
16 | Highway 401 at Johnstown - New York border at Johnstown | C. | 3.8 |
17th | Arnprior - Manitoba border | C. | 1948.0 |
17B | Highway 17 - Michigan border | C. | 10.6 |
19th | Highway 401 - Tillsonburg | F. | 23.0 |
24 | Highway 403 - Highway 3 | F. | 36.0 |
26th | Highway 400 at Barrie - Collingwood | C. | 63.0 |
34 | Highway 417 - Quebec border at Hawkesbury | C. | 19.2 |
35 /115 | Highway 401 near Newcastle - Peterborough | C. | 44.8 |
61 | Minnesota border on Pigeon River - Highway 17 in Thunder Bay | C. | 61.0 |
66 | Québec border at Kearns - Kirkland Lake | C. | 58.0 |
69 | Parry Sound - Sudbury | C. | 139.0 |
71 | Minnesota border at Fort Frances - Highway 17 at Kenora | C. | 194.0 |
77 | Highway 401 at Comber - Highway 3 at Leamington | F. | 23.0 |
101 | Timmins - Highway 11 at Matheson | F. | 62.0 |
101/ 144 | Highway 17 at Sudbury - Timmins | F. | 292.0 |
108 | Highway 17 at Northshore - Elliot Lake | C. | 27.2 |
137 | Highway 401 at Lansdowne - New York border at Lansdowne | C. | 4.3 |
138 | Highway 401 near Cornwall - Highway 417 near Casselmann | F. | 35.0 |
Highway 401 near Cornwall - border with New York near Cornwall | F. | 8.0 | |
400 | Highway 401 in Toronto - Parry Sound | C. | 225.0 |
401 | Quebec border at Bainsville - Windsor | C. | 827.0 |
402 | London - Michigan border at Sarnia | C. | 102.6 |
403 | QEW at Burlington - Highway 401 at Woodstock | C. | 82.0 |
QEW near Oakville - Highway 401 near Mississauga | C. | 21.0 | |
405 | QEW at St. Catharines - New York border at Niagara Falls | C. | 8.8 |
409 | Highway 401 in Toronto - Highway 427 in Toronto | C. | 6.0 |
410 | Highway 401 at Mississauga - Brampton | C. | 24.0 |
416 | Highway 417 in Ottawa - Highway 401 near Prescott | C. | 75.9 |
417 | Border with Québec at St. Eugène - Arnprior | C. | 194.0 |
420 | QEW - New York border near Niagara Falls | C. | 5.0 |
427 | Highway 401 near Toronto - QEW near Toronto | C. | 7.7 |
Highway 401 near Toronto - Vaughan | C. | 12.3 | |
CR17 | Hawkesbury E - Highway 417 at Hawkesbury | F. | 10.0 |
Ottawa : Bronson Av./Airport Parkway | Highway 417 - Ottawa Airport | C. | 9.8 |
Ottawa: Nicholas St./Rideau St./King Edward Av. | Highway 417 - Quebec Border | C. | 4.0 |
London : Airport Rd./Oxford St. | Highway 401 - London Airport | C. | 10.0 |
Vaughan : RR7 / RR50 / Rutherford Rd. | Highway 427 - CP Intermodal Terminal | C. | 6.0 |
Vaughan: RR7 / Keele St./Administration | Highway 400 - CN RoadRailer Intermodal Terminal | C. | 4.3 |
Brampton : Steeles Av./Airport Rd./Intermodal Dr. | Highway 410 - CN Intermodal Terminal | C. | 7.1 |
Brampton: Derry Rd./Airport Rd./Intermodal Dr. | Highway 427 - CN Intermodal Terminal | C. | 5.6 |
Toronto : Gardiner Expressway / Kipling / Queensway | Highway 427 - CP Obico Intermodal Terminal | C. | 3.5 |
Milton : Trafalgar Rd. | Highway 401 - Derry Rd./CP Expressway Intermodal Terminal | C. | 1.7 |
Scarborough : McCowan Rd. | Highway 401 - CP Expressway Intermodal Terminal | C. | 1.6 |
Prince Edward Island
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Middle Confederation Bridge - Borden | C. | 7.9 |
Borden - Wood Islands | C. | 120.5 | |
1A | Summerside - Wood Islands | C. | 20.3 |
2 | Summerside - Charlottetown | C. | 58.8 |
Summerside - Tignish | F. | 77.2 | |
Charlottetown - Souris | F. | 78.6 | |
3 | Cherry Valley - Georgetown | F. | 33.7 |
Charlottetown : Brackley Point Rd. | Highway 1 - Charlottetown Airport | C. | 1.2 |
Quebec
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
A5 | Border with Ontario in Gatineau - A50 in Hull | C. | 1.8 |
A10 | Pont Champlain near Montréal - A55 near Sherbrooke | C. | 137.0 |
A15 in Montréal - Montréal | C. | 4.3 | |
A13 | A20 in Montréal - A640 in Boisbriand | C. | 15.0 |
A20 in Montréal - A40 in Montréal | C. | 6.0 | |
A15 | Border with New York at St-Bernard-de-Lacolle - Pont Champlain near Montréal | C. | 53.8 |
A15, 117 , 101 | A20 in Montréal - border with Ontario west of Rouyn-Noranda | C. | 666.8 |
A20 | Border with Ontario at Rivière-Beaudette - Route 185 at Rivière-du-Loup | C. | 500.3 |
A20, 132 | Route 185 near Rivière-du-Loup - Route 195 near Matane | C. | 204.4 |
A25 | A20 near Longueil - A40 near Anjou | C. | 8.1 |
A30 | A20 at Vaudreuil-Dorion - A5 at Vaudreuil-Dorion | C. | 4.9 |
A20 at Longueil - Route 133 at Sorel | F. | 58.1 | |
A31 | A40 at Lavaltrie - Route 158 at Joliette | F. | 14.3 |
A35 , 133 | Vermont border near Philipsburg - A10 near Carignan | F. | 57.4 |
A40 | Ontario border at Fortune - 138 north of Quebec | F. | 342.8 |
A50 | A5 at Gatineau - A15 at Mirabel | C. | 156.0 |
A55 | Vermont border at Stanstead - Grand-Mère | C. | 184.1 |
A55, 155 | Grand-Mère - Route 169 near Chambord | C. | 249.8 |
A70 , 170 | Port-Saguenay Harbor - Port-Saguenay | C. | 18.1 |
St-Bruno - Saguenay | F. | 47.6 | |
A73 , 175 | A20 near Charny - Saguenay | C. | 208.7 |
A73, 173 | St-Georges-de-Beauce - Beauceville | F. | 17.9 |
85 , 185 | A20 at Rivière-du-Loup - border with New Brunswick east of Dégelis | C. | 101.0 |
A440 | Quebec | C. | 13.0 |
A520 | A20 near Montréal - Montréal | C. | 11.2 |
A540 | A20 at Vaudreuil-Dorion - A40 at Vaudreuil-Dorion | C. | 4.9 |
A73 near Québec - A40 near Québec | C. | 3.5 | |
Quebec Airport - Quebec City | C. | 3.0 | |
A610 , 112 | A10 / A55 near Sherbrooke - A73 near Vallée-Jonction | F. | 159.4 |
A640 | A40 near Terrebonne - A13 near Boisbriand | C. | 34.9 |
A720 | A15 / A20 near Montréal - Montréal | C. | 8.1 |
109 , 111 | Val-d'Or - Radisson | N | 870.0 |
132, 138 | A15 at Candiac - A20 at Montréal | C. | 15.4 |
136 | Port of Québec - A440 near Québec | C. | 13.9 |
138 | A40 at Dufferin - Sept-Îles | C. | 633.9 |
139 | Cowansville - Granby | F. | 23.6 |
161 | A20 in Sainte-Eulalie - St-Georges-de-Beauce | F. | 26.5 |
169 , 170 | Chambord - St-Bruno | F. | 43.7 |
173 | St-Théophile - St-Georges-de-Beauce | F. | 47.6 |
201 | A20 at Coteau du lac - A530 at Salaberry-de-Valleyfield | F. | 10.0 |
204 | A73 near Beauceville - 173 near Beauceville | F. | 3.7 |
A73 at Calway - 173 at Lévis | F. | 68.9 | |
344 | Ontario border in Grenville - Grenville | C. | 3.8 |
389 | Baie-Comeau - border with Labrador at Fermont | N | 565.7 |
49454 | Baie-Comeau harbor | C. | 3.8 |
Saskatchewan
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Border with Manitoba east of Fleming - Regina | C. | 245.3 |
Regina - Alberta border west of Maple Creek | C. | 405.2 | |
2 | Moose Jaw - Highway 11 in Chamberlain | C. | 51.5 |
Saskatoon - Prince Albert | C. | 137.2 | |
Prince Albert - La Ronge | N | 236.3 | |
6 / 39 | Regina - North Dakota border | C. | 235.5 |
7th | Saskatoon - Alberta border | C. | 254.4 |
10 | Highway 1 in Balgonie - Yorkton | C. | 160.5 |
11 | Regina - Saskatoon | C. | 253.3 |
16 | Alberta border in Lloydminster - Saskatoon | C. | 272.1 |
Saskatoon - border with Manitoba east of Langenburg | C. | 418.7 | |
Regina : Lewvan Dr., Regina Ave. | Highway 1, Regina Airport | C. | 4.9 |
Saskatoon : Airport Drive | Circle Dr. - Saskatoon Airport | C. | 1.7 |
Saskatoon: 11th St., Chappel Dr. | Highway 7 - CN Rail terminal | C. | 3.0 |
Yukon
route | section | class | length |
---|---|---|---|
1 - Alaska Highway | British Columbia border at Teslin - Alaska border at Northway | C. | 934.9 |
2 - Klondike Highway | Whitehorse - Alaska border at White Pass | C. | 133.7 |
Highway 1 north of Whitehorse - Dempster Highway | N | 482.9 | |
5 - Dempster Highway | Klondike Highway east of Dawson - Northwest Territories border | N | 465.0 |
Web links
- The National Highway System (NHS) on the website of Transport Canada (English)
- Overview map on the website of the Council of Ministers - Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Canada’s National Highway System - Annual Report 2017. (PDF) Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety, accessed on August 28, 2019 .