TORONTO, Ont. — The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is initiating a nationwide campaign called Stop Illegal Trucking aimed at putting an end to harmful illegal practices that are undermining Canada’s trucking sector.
“Companies that regularly bypass tax and labor regulations will likely take similar shortcuts elsewhere, endangering public safety by using unsafe equipment and untrained or inadequately qualified drivers,” states Marco Beghetto, CTA’s vice president of communications. “Canadians are increasingly recognizing the crisis we have warned about for years. This environment of lawlessness poses a grave threat to our industry and the safety of Canadians, and it needs to stop immediately.”
The CTA’s announcement reveals that the campaign comes as a response to widespread lawlessness in the trucking industry, fueled by years of inaction from federal and provincial governments. This has resulted in the exploitation of workers, human trafficking, and significant financial losses for Canadians.
“A prolonged lack of enforcement across all government levels has allowed an underground economy to thrive,” noted the CTA. “The so-called Driver Inc. scheme enables companies to misclassify employee drivers as independent entities, circumventing responsibilities related to payroll, basic protections, and additional employer obligations.”
According to the CTA, the consequences include exploited workers, unfair competition harming legitimate trucking businesses, and substantial public revenue losses necessary for supporting Canadians in challenging economic conditions.
The CTA believes that many of the current issues can be resolved without implementing new laws or regulations. By simply enforcing existing laws that responsible businesses are already adhering to, order can be restored in the industry.
“Responsible carriers and drivers pay their taxes, follow labor laws, and focus on safety. They are being penalized by a system that allows cheating to occur,” stated Greg Arndt, chair of the CTA. “Canada can no longer afford to remain passive. The current lawlessness must cease immediately.”
