Autoroute 85 LCV Access Expected in Mid-November, Connecting Central and Atlantic Canada

Canadian carriers could soon gain a continuous long-combination vehicle corridor between Central Canada and the Maritimes.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) says full interprovincial LCV access along Québec’s Autoroute 85 is expected in mid-November 2026, pending completion of a final 1.6-kilometre section.

The connection would allow LCV movements along a continuous four-lane divided highway network linking Windsor, Ontario, with Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Closing a gap in the freight network

Autoroute 85 connects Rivière-du-Loup with the New Brunswick border, making it a strategic link between Québec and the Maritime provinces.

The Québec government’s project has involved converting Route 185 into a divided highway. The route also carries the name Autoroute Claude-Béchard.

For the trucking industry, the remaining gap has been a longstanding concern. CTA identified Highway 85/185 as an interprovincial trade barrier in its 2023 and 2025 reports.

Completing the corridor would remove that infrastructure barrier for eligible LCV operations between Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Provincial permits still apply

A continuous highway connection does not replace provincial operating requirements.

CTA reminds carriers that LCV operations require specific permits in each province. Companies planning interprovincial movements should review the applicable conditions before scheduling service.

The alliance points operators toward the memorandum of understanding on harmonized special permit conditions for LCVs in Eastern Canada.

Construction restrictions remain

Québec 511 continues to list construction-related restrictions along Autoroute 85 near Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! and Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata.

Notices for sections between approximately kilometres 52 and 54.5 list lane closures extending through November 13. Other construction notices along the route have separate timelines.

These work schedules should not be treated as confirmation that the full corridor is already available for LCV operations.

What carriers should watch next

The next milestone is confirmation that the remaining work is complete and the route is available for the intended movements.

Carriers preparing to use the connection should verify provincial authorizations and consult current Québec 511 notices before dispatch.

For fleets serving Central and Atlantic Canada, the anticipated opening is a development worth following closely.

Sources: Canadian Trucking Alliance, November 6, 2026; Gouvernement du Québec; Québec 511.