CTA backs Bill C-39 at committee, presses Ottawa for tougher Driver Inc. enforcement
The Alliance supports the Building Canada Strong Act but says success will be judged by shorter border delays, better corridors and fairer competition.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) has told a parliamentary committee it supports Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, while pushing Ottawa to go further on Driver Inc. enforcement and trucking infrastructure.
Jonathan Blackham, CTA's Director of Policy and Public Affairs, appeared for the Alliance. CTA published a summary of his testimony on October 27.
What CTA likes in the bill
Blackham welcomed the bill's stated aims:
- faster approvals and better coordination for nationally significant infrastructure projects
- stronger trade corridors
- modernized trade processes, including electronic trade documents in place of paper requirements that slow carriers and drivers at the border
- action on labour non-compliance in trucking
CTA also backed measures to keep the national transportation system stable, including steps to prevent or resolve disruptions, and labour disruptions where warranted.
Driver Inc. is the main ask
Most of the testimony focused on Driver Inc., the misclassification of drivers as incorporated contractors. CTA says it has been raising the issue for more than eight years.
"Driver Inc. is not simply a labour issue. It is a safety issue, a tax compliance issue and a fundamental issue of fair competition," Blackham said.
CTA welcomed more enforcement resources and digital tools against wage theft and misclassification, and credited Employment and Social Development Minister Patty Hajdu. But it said more is needed:
- enhanced employer vetting, or a known-employer program, under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
- sustained, proactive enforcement by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
CTA called the lack of measures on paid medical leave a missed opportunity. It said compliant carriers keep absorbing rising costs while operators in the underground economy avoid them.
Seat at the corridors table
The Alliance wants continued investment in highways, border crossings, ports and intermodal links. It also asked for meaningful trucking representation on the proposed National Trade Corridors Council.
"The trucking industry is optimistic about the direction and intent of Bill C-39. But its success must ultimately be measured by practical results: reduced border delays, more efficient highway corridors, fewer supply chain disruptions, stronger enforcement against non-compliance and fairer competition across our industry," Blackham said.