OTA relaunches Stop Illegal Trucking campaign, asks Queen's Park for 24/7 inspection stations by 2029

The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) relaunched its provincial Stop Illegal Trucking campaign on Nov. 2, calling on Queen's Park to put more enforcement behind rules that are already on the books.

OTA says the Government of Ontario has made commitments to address gaps in trucking oversight, but that much more needs to be done. The association says rogue operators keep exploiting those gaps, non-compliant carriers are undercutting honest businesses and undertrained drivers are sharing the road with Ontario families.

What OTA says is missing

• Inspection hours. "Currently, only three of Ontario's 34 truck inspection stations operate 24/7," said OTA chair Mark Bylsma. "Rogue operators know exactly when the scales are closed and plan around it."
• Carrier reviews. OTA says about 80 percent of carriers have never received even a basic safety review from the province. It has asked for years for basic on-site facility inspections of every trucking company operating in Ontario.
• Cost advantage. The association says non-compliant operators carry a 30 percent cost advantage built on misclassified drivers and unpaid taxes.

What OTA is asking for

• All 34 Ontario truck inspection stations open 24/7 with fully staffed enforcement teams. OTA says its proposal would get there by 2029.
• Mandatory on-site inspections for every carrier operating in Ontario.
• Real consequences for non-compliant operators who exploit the current gaps.
• Completion of the commercial driver training review and stronger licensing standards.
• A level playing field for honest small businesses being undercut by non-compliant operators.

"No new laws"

OTA vice-president of communications Marco Beghetto said the association is not asking for new legislation. "OTA is not calling for any new laws – just consistent enforcement of the rules already on the books," he said. He added that effective enforcement is about protecting honest small businesses, not penalizing them.

The release acknowledges that opponents of more oversight argue it will add costs for small businesses. OTA says that argument overlooks the far greater cost of letting non-compliant operators keep undermining the industry.

What to know

The figures above are OTA's own claims from its Nov. 2 release. The release does not include a response from the Ontario government. Carriers and supporters can find campaign material and an action page through the association's Nov. 2 release.