Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association executive director Chris McKee recently met with Atlantic Canadian business leaders for a roundtable session in Halifax with Federal Minister of Transport and Internal Trade Anita Anand to discuss the impacts of tariffs and examine barriers to internal trade within our country.
“We applaud Team Canada and the efforts being made to immediately eliminate internal trade barriers across all industries, including trucking – to allow our members to better thrive domestically. The good news is that the trucking sector is already well positioned to participate in such a process,” said McKee.
McKee presented highlights from the Canadian Trucking Alliance and provincial associations’ report which provides a blueprint to removing interprovincial transportation barriers in our industry. Many of the recommendations have been selected for further review as part of a pilot program – with all Atlantic provinces now onboard.
As part of the recommendations, APTA is calling on the feds to immediately begin discussions with the Province of Quebec to examine the feasibility of allowing LCVs through un-twinned sections of Route 185 now, while twinning is yet to be completed.
“This is a major bottleneck on a vital supply route between Atlantic Canada and the rest of the country. LCVs are the most efficient truck configuration in the country,” said McKee, adding that the trucking industry in the region also wants to see immediate alignment on permitting requirements between jurisdictions for overweight/oversize loads.
Additionally, McKee urged stronger action on Driver Inc. enforcement from all federal departments.
“The underground economy is wreaking havoc on our members who play by the rules at a time when we are experiencing record low freight volumes, depressed freight rates, negative profit margins, and now the threat of 25% tariffs. This is a major internal trade barrier. We should be competing against legitimate businesses, not the underground economy in this country!”