Ministers agree to joint crackdown on Driver Inc., move on interprovincial trucking barriers

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) said federal, provincial and territorial transport ministers have agreed to work together to crack down on non-compliance in the commercial trucking industry linked to the so-called Driver Inc. model.

The agreement came at a meeting of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety, co-chaired by federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon and British Columbia Transportation and Transit Minister Mike Farnworth.

Ministers agreed to collaborate on enforcement efforts targeting labour, tax and safety violations associated with Driver Inc., and to sign off in the coming weeks on 14 measures aimed at reducing interprovincial trade barriers.

“CTA has been active on this file for a very long time and the acknowledgement by all ministers that Driver Inc. is real and must be dealt with is helpful,” said Geoff Wood, CTA’s senior vice-president of policy. “However, the proof will be in the actual efforts put forth across the country to get rid of Driver Inc. Everyone must be all in.”

The CTA said the commitment to coordinated federal, provincial and territorial action, including improved enforcement, training and licensing, reflects its message to a House of Commons committee reviewing the issue.

Most governments have now signed a memorandum of understanding on interprovincial and territorial trucking covering the 14 measures.