Along with Milton to the north, Burlington forms the western boundary of the Greater Toronto Area. It’s also the turning point for the Golden Horseshoe, an informal name for the 8 million people living in the industrial region around the west end of Lake Ontario. The Golden Horseshoe extends from Oshawa to Niagara Falls.

With its position in the region, life in Burlington is car-oriented. The Queen Elizabeth Way, Highway 403, and Highway 407ETR provide high-volume expressway service throughout the city.

Though the city once had commercial docks serving the logging industry, the area switched over to general agriculture, leaving shipping to the protected waters within Burlington Bay, to the west. The growing towns of York, to the east, and Hamilton to the southwest meant that the Burlington area has always been a through point for traffic. This results in a diverse economy today. No one sector or employer dominates. The transportation infrastructure and central location in the Golden Horseshoe provide appeal to a number of industries, ensuring Burlington’s viability for the future.

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Burlington

The average cost of car insurance in Burlington is $1,395.

*Methodology: We used a sample profile for a male driver aged 30 years with his own vehicle having mandatory coverage. He drives a Honda Civic 2012 car with an average mileage of 5000 – 8000 km per year to commute to work. He has a clean driving record history of 5 years with no accidents or collisions.

We surveyed the car insurance prices in the city of Burlington for the purpose of illustrating the range in quotes based on driving record, location, and other criteria. To get a customized quote, enter your postal code above.

Affordable Car Insurance in Burlington

Though other cities in the GTA, such as Brampton, can cost the same driver over $600 more for insurance, Burlington motorists can use the same money-saving techniques to keep auto insurance prices down. The private and competitive market in Ontario encourages competition between car insurance providers. Overseen by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the industry, while highly regulated, permits individual companies to set their own policies and procedures. Provided these meet FSCO approval, these procedures permit each company to hunt for a competitive edge. That’s why some insurers offer certain policies at greatly reduced costs. Motorists who aggressively compare prices can usually save money.

Statutory Insurance in Ontario

Basic coverage in the province is mandatory. To drive on the province’s roads, every car requires insurance. Basic coverage has only four areas of protection, though. These sections are:

• Third-Person Liability: $200,000 in coverage is the minimum requirement.
• Statutory Accidents Benefits: these cover medical and rehabilitation costs beyond those covered by provincial health plans.
• Direct Compensation Property Damage: when another person causes an accident, you’re entitled to benefits, but these are paid by your own insurance company in some situations.
• Unidentified/Uninsured Motorist: applying to hit-and-run accidents or those involving a driver illegally operating a vehicle without proper insurance, this coverage protects you where another insurer may not be involved.

Additions to the mandatory coverage amounts are common options for many drivers. In particular, third-party liability coverage may not be adequate at $200,000. Increasing coverage to $500,000 or beyond commonly occurs. Statutory accident benefits can be extended in a similar way.

Notice that collision and comprehensive coverage are not part of the mandatory package. While some situations cover repairs under the mandatory policy, additional endorsements protect a motorist in virtually all situations. Not only do many drivers want this coverage, but banks and other loan providers may also insist on it as part of financing a car.

The cost of collision and comprehensive insurance is partly offset by raising deductible limits.

Driving in Burlington

• Traffic in Burlington is dominated by the controlled-access expressways in the city.
• The QEW was, for many years, the only high-volume route through Burlington. A short section of the 403 extended west, connecting Highway 6 and Hamilton mountain.
• The 403 now extends from Highway 401 and Highway 410 in the east to Highway 401 at Woodstock in the west.
• Highway 407ETR has its western terminus at the 403, slightly west of where the 403 joins the QEW.
• There is no direct access from the QEW westbound to the 407ETR. The toll route can be accessed by entering the QEW at Fairview Street or directly onto the 407ETR at Dundas Street between Guelph Line and Walkers Line or at Appleby Line.
• East-west traffic through the city from the QEW to eastern city limits uses primarily Lakeshore Road, New Street, and Fairview Street. West of the QEW, Plains Road dominates south of the 403, to the Royal Botanical Gardens.
• Major north-south routes through the city are, west to east, Brant Street, Guelph Line, Walkers Line, Appleby Line, and Burloak Drive.
• High Occupancy Vehicle lanes start in the west on the QEW/403 at Burlington. Vehicles must have two or more occupants, including the driver, to use these lanes. HOV requirements increased to three or more occupants during the Pan Am games.

List of Driving Schools in Burlington Ontario

Road Information for Burlington

• The Ministry of Transportation for Ontario provides an interactive map of the Burlington and Mississauga region.
• Burlington also has coverage on the MTO’s Hamilton traffic report page.
• The City of Burlington reports road closures on its web pages.
• Local TV station CHCH reports on area road conditions, including Burlington.
• The Weather Network provides both short and long-term weather outlooks for Burlington and the surrounding area.
• Three DriveTest facilities serve the Burlington area. These are at the Burlington Power Centre, 1250 Brant Street, Unit #2; 2370 Wyecroft Road in Oakville, and 370 Kenora Avenue in Stoney Creek.

Driving Facts for Burlington

• The QEW began life as a work project during the depression. In the mid-1930s, plans were adapted to develop the road in the image of the German autobahns. This meant separating the road by lanes of travel and adding interchanges above or below the grade of travel. When it opened in 1937, the QEW was the first intercity-divided highway in Canada or the U.S.
• The QEW was also the longest continuously illuminated road in the world at that time.
• The highway belongs to Ontario’s 400-series highways, though its administrative designation, Highway 451, doesn’t see public use.
• The “Elizabeth” in the highway’s name is King George V’s wife, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. This was the current Queen Elizabeth’s mother.
• Half of the skyway over the canal into Burlington Bay is within Burlington city limits.

List of Car Insurance Brokers in Burlington Ontario

Burlington drivers can find the best auto insurance quotes using Ratelab’s car insurance calculator. This insurance search engine scans Ratelab’s industry partners for the policy that best meets your car insurance needs. Enter your postal code below to start the free service. In just a few minutes, you’ll have up to 10 estimates including the lowest rates you can pay for your car insurance policy.