B.C. Bill M-217 compliance
Who must comply
Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act (Bill M-217) — heavy commercial trucks over 11,793 kg GVW. Outward-facing only.
Required specs
- Outward-facing only (not in-cab)
- 1080p minimum resolution
- Night vision
- 72+ hours video retention
- Continuous recording while operating
Phased rollout
- Phase 1: Highway tractors over 11,793 kg GVW (port / Hwy 1 / Hwy 5 lanes first).
- Phase 2: Remaining heavy units before effective date.
- Phase 3: Insurer export + driver coaching once clips are trusted.
| Requirement | Bill M-217 | K3 Dashcam Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Camera orientation | Outward-facing (road only) | Road-facing mount; no in-cab lens |
| Resolution | 1080p minimum | 1080p outward stream (verify firmware) |
| Night vision | Required | Low-light / IR-capable sensor (spec sheet) |
| Retention | 72+ hours stored | Cloud + local buffer per platform policy |
| Recording | Continuous while operating | Ignition/operating-state linked recording |
| Audit trail | Evidence for investigations | GPS + timestamp on every clip in K3 |
If they push back
“This is Big Brother — you are watching me in the cab.”
→ B.C. law requires outward-facing only. We are not installing cabin cameras. The clip protects you when a car cuts you off.
“The union / driver council will block this.”
→ Share the driver FAQ in English and 中文 before install. Lead with exoneration (BCTA narrative), phased rollout, and no discipline-by-default policy.
“We will just buy cheap dashcams from Amazon.”
→ Consumer units rarely meet 1080p + night + 72h retention together, and they do not sync GPS for insurers. One K3 export closes compliance and claims.
“Install will take our trucks off the road.”
→ Target ~25 min per tractor during PM windows; start with highest-risk lanes, not fleet-wide day one.
Also see: CAT-1 vs CAT-M1 for dashcam program comparison.