1922::Left-Side to Right-Side Road Rule Change in British Columbia

A New Year's Day present from British Columbia's Provincial Government.

1862::Victoria's Left-Side Road Rule"

Clip: Weekly British Colonist (1862)

Victoria, British Columbia

Traffic violations were a regular occurrence in Victoria's earliest days, even though five British pounds per infraction was considered a hefty penalty. Wheelmen on newly invented bicycles were often driven off the road, wondering whether the rules applied to them. At the beginning of the 20th century, when automobiles began to dominate the city streets, change became inevitable.

"1921::New Turning Signals for Drivers in British Columbia"

Clip: Victoria Daily Times (1921)

Photographer: Percy Frost

In 1920, a movement was afoot that called for a province-wide Left-Side to Right-Side road rule change. The proposed new rule was endorsed by British Columbia's Development Associations and Boards of Trade, who believed that although the changeover would be a monumental challenge, the province would benefit in the long term. The British Columbia Electric Railway, responsible for the streetcar tracks in Vancouver and Victoria, faced a daunting task. They had to relocate the tracks to the opposite side of the street and alter each streetcar's functions. This was not only an enormous task but also an expensive one. However, the provincial government gave them the necessary time and funds to make it happen. On July 15, 1920, the right-side road rule took effect in the province's interior, while the lower mainland and islands were given additional time to implement new regulations and roads that would accommodate new streetcar tracks.

"1921::Granville at Hastings Street in Vancouver, British Columbia With Left-Side Driving Still in Effect"

Photo: City of Vancouver Archives (STR P106)

Except for British Columbia and the Maritime provinces, all other Canadian provinces and territories bordering the United States had long since adopted a right-side driving rule. It made sense to match the system in place south of the border, especially in British Columbia, where American automobile tourists flooded the province each summer to escape the California heat (and prohibition). As welcome as these tourists were to spend their American dollars, their confusion about left-side driving rules made summertime driving in the province a frightening experience.

"1922::Right-Side Driving Rule Takes Effect"

Clip: Vancouver Sun (1921)

So, to accommodate the money-spending Southerners and their North American automobile designs (with their left-side steering wheels), British Columbia adopted the right-side-of-the-road driving rule.

On New Year's Day, 1922, at 6 am, the right-side road rule took effect on the lower mainland and islands. This marked a significant shift in the province's transportation history. Motorists, coaches, and anyone with wheels on the left side of the road who were used to driving like the Londoners were now driving on the right side of the road like the rest of North America.