The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has opened applications for tow and storage service operators (TSSOs) to join the 2026 Provincial Tow Program, which governs how operators provide police-requested towing across the province.
Updated application forms and program information are now posted on the OPP website. Operators must submit their applications by Sept. 30, 2025, to be placed on a Provincial Tow Program Detachment TSSO Tow List for the upcoming year. Those who were approved for the 2025 list are required to reapply by the deadline in order to continue providing services in 2026.
The program operates alongside the Ministry of Transportation’s Tow Zone Pilot Program in the Greater Toronto Area. The OPP confirmed it will continue following the ministry-led guidelines for that region. In all other areas of Ontario, the current practice of dispatching TSSOs from approved detachment tow lists will remain in effect. Only those operators who have been accepted onto a list will be dispatched for OPP-requested tows.
The OPP is encouraging towing companies, operators and drivers to learn the rules and regulations surrounding the provincial program to ensure compliance. Those with questions about participating are advised to contact their local detachment.
The Provincial Tow Program is part of a wider government strategy, supported by the Ontario-led Towing Task Force, to curb criminal activity and violence in the towing industry. The OPP said the program plays a role in protecting public and officer safety, while supporting the force’s commitment to bias-free service and building trust with communities.
Resources for operators include provincial legislation such as the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act, the Consumer Protection Act, the Repair and Storage Liens Act and the Highway Traffic Act, all available online through Ontario’s law site.
Application can be found, here.
