Transport ministers asked the CCMTA to close safety certificate gaps between provinces
In February 2024, federal, provincial and territorial ministers targeted carriers that keep operating in one jurisdiction after being stopped in another.
In February 2024, Canada's Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety met in Montreal and directed the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) to study problems with the current model for carrier safety certificates.
The ministers specifically asked the CCMTA to look at options for dealing with carriers that have poor safety records and keep operating across jurisdictions even after a province or territory has taken action against them.
The directive came after a B.C.-based fleet, suspended in that province following repeated bridge strikes, was accused of continuing to operate there using trucks plated in a neighbouring province.
Industry reaction
The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) welcomed the move. Geoff Wood, CTA's senior vice-president of policy, said the alliance had been asking the CCMTA for this since 2008, and that the measure would directly affect companies operating under the Driver Inc. model. He said governments and responsible industry groups needed to follow up with a coordinated push, starting with short- and medium-term fixes to the safety fitness certificate system.
Other items on the agenda
The ministers also discussed supply chains, gaps in northern infrastructure and the need to top up the National Trade Corridors Fund. They formed a working group to examine supply chain infrastructure and the investment needed in the near, medium and long term. Federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the safety and security of transport networks had to be the first priority.