Newmarket has a by-law to prohibit driving instructors and schools from operating within a designated Restricted Area. This area encompasses the exam routes used by the DriveTest Centre located at 320 Harry Walker Parkway South.
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Allowed activities
Under this by-law, driving instructors can not:
- Operate in the area for the purpose of giving driving instruction to students
- Operate in the area for the purpose of practising for driving tests
This by-law does not prohibit the following activities:
- DriveTest Centre testing conducted in a driving school/driving instructor vehicle. This includes Newmarket driving schools as well as schools from other municipalities.
- DriveTest Centre testing conducted in private vehicles.
- Driving school/instructor vehicles picking up or dropping off a student at their residence or school.
- Parents teaching their children to drive.
- Friends or family teaching individuals to drive.
- Drivers practising without a driving school instructor.
- Driving instruction is permitted on the major roads bordering the restricted area. This includes :
- Gorham Street
- Prospect Street
- Bayview Parkwa
- Traviss Drive
- Leslie Valley Drive
- Leslie Street
- Davis Drive
Enforcement
The Town conducts periodic enforcement blitzes in the Restricted Area, and monitors and records complaints received regarding driving school/instructor vehicles operating in the area.
If you see a driving instructor or driving school vehicle in the Restricted Area, please remember that there are various scenarios where driving school vehicles and instructors are permitted in the Restricted Area.
If you wish to report a driving instructor providing lessons/practice testing in the Restricted Area; please call the Town of Newmarket's Customer Service department at 905-895-5193 to report the incident.
Background
The Town implemented a Restricted Area By-law to mitigate the increase in traffic on residential streets near the Newmarket DriveTest Centre located on Harry Walker Parkway.
Many of the streets in the area surrounding the DriveTest Centre are used as part of the designated driving test routes. For this reason, the Town passed a Restricted Area By-law encompassing the streets within the borders of:
- Gorham Street
- Prospect Street
- Bayview Parkway
- Traviss Drive
- Leslie Valley Drive
- Leslie Street
The area was proposed by the Newmarket DriveTest Centre, and the Town utilized this area for the Restricted Area By-law as it encompasses all the various DriveTest Centre exam routes.
Frequently asked questions
Contact information
DriveTest Centre
For questions regarding the DriveTest Centre exams, road test routes, frequency of tests, or other information please contact the DriveTest Centre at 1-800-489-8450 or visit drivetest.ca.
Ministry of Transportation
For information regarding provincial licensing and certification of driving instructors, vehicles and driving school businesses please visit the Ministry of Transportation website at mto.gov.on.ca. You can contact the Ministry regarding driver and vehicle licensing by calling 1-800-387-3445.
Town of Newmarket
Residents can report driving school vehicles and instructors providing instruction in the Restricted Area to the Town of Newmarket's Customer Service department by calling 905-895-5193 or email info@newmarket.ca. Please provide, if possible, the vehicle licence plate number, driving school name, and vehicle description.