The North Bay Police Service (NBPS) joined with other Northern Ontario Police Services during the Festive R.I.D.E. Launch, Thursday, along Lakeshore Drive, in North Bay.
With the holiday season approaching, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) launched the Provincial Festive R.I.D.E. (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign on Thursday November 20, 2025. In a show solidarity with policing partners across Ontario, Chiefs from Northern Ontario Police Services participated in the Festive R.I.D.E. launch along the 700 block of Lakeshore Dr, North Bay.
Chiefs of Police and Patrol Officers from the North Bay Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Anishinabek Police Service, Greater Sudbury Police Service, Sault Ste Marie Police Service, Timmins Police Service, and UCCM Anishnabbe Police Service were in attendance at the launch.
North Bay’s Police Chief stated, “As we launch this year’s Festive RIDE Program with our policing partners from across the North, the message from Chiefs of Police across Ontario is simple and unwavering: impaired driving is entirely preventable, and we will do everything we can to keep our roads safe. This season is meant for celebrating with family and friends, not for tragedy on our streets. Our officers will be out in full force—visible, engaged, and committed—to ensuring everyone gets home safely. We’re asking our community to make responsible choices, plan ahead, and look out for one another. Together, we can make this a safe and joyful holiday season for all.”
Impaired driving is one of the leading causes of road deaths in Ontario. In 2023 alone, 616 people were killed in Ontario as a result of impaired driving. Nearly 100 people are injured every day in Ontario as a result of impaired driving collisions. *
Impaired driving includes the operation of a vehicles when a driver’s ability to properly do so has been compromised by consuming alcohol and/or drugs (including legal cannabis, over-the-counter and prescription medications, and illegal drugs).
Penalties for impaired driving are severe. If police determine you are driving at or above a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08, you can face on your first offence:
- Immediate roadside 90-day suspension with $281 licence reinstatement fee
- 7-day vehicle impoundment
- $550 Administrative Monetary Penalty Fee
If police determine you are driving a vehicle in the BAC “warn range” of 0.05 to 0.079 and you fail a Standard Field Sobriety Test, you could face a 7-day immediate licence suspension with a $281 licence reinstatement fee and $250 penalty on your first offence.
If you are 21 or under or have a G1, G2, M1, or M2 licence, you cannot have any drugs or alcohol in your system.
During the Festive RIDE Launch event, police vehicles and officers set up along Lakeshore Drive and ____ vehicles were stopped and the drivers were checked for sobriety. No charges were laid.
