‘Completely wrong’: BC RCMP says 24/7 school zones rumour is untrue

The BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) is advising people not to believe everything they see online.

Amid internet rumours that police say are driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the BCHP released a public statement today to clarify that Canadian school zones will not be changing next week.

“Some disreputable websites are claiming that all Canadian school zones will be in effect 24/7 starting July 1, 2025,” noted Cpl. Michael McLaughlin. “These websites are completely wrong, and social media and AI are amplifying the misinformation.”

McLaughlin adds that school zones are a provincial jurisdiction and “there are no sweeping changes coming for Canada.”

For the most part, since some jurisdictions have slightly different hours, school zones are in effect between 8 am and 5 pm on school days and come with a speed limit of 30 km/h.

With school wrapping up around BC this week, drivers can drive at regular speeds through school zones for the summer.

However, it’s always wise to slow down a bit and drive cautiously through areas with playgrounds and parks, which is often the case in school zones.

When it comes to traffic-related content on the internet, the BCHP has the following recommendations for people to avoid being tricked by fake reports and news:

• Consider the source: Traffic law announcements should come from your provincial government. A website you’ve never heard of, or Ned from Facebook, are not reliable sources.
• Who has jurisdiction: Traffic laws are provincial. A Canada-wide change to school zones would require cooperation from all levels of government and would be accompanied by many public announcements.
• Timing: When Canada-wide traffic changes are being implemented on short notice, and for no apparent reason, that is a red flag for savvy internet users.
• Sweeping, unrelated changes: Other suggested changes include advanced driver systems for all vehicles, tougher distracted driving penalties, impaired driving law updates, and changes to pedestrian zones. These are complicated issues, and bunching them all together should raise red flags.