Almost every sector of the Ontario economy is reliant on the trucking industry to move its goods and supplies. An investment in the trucking industry is an investment in the health and sustainability of all aspects of the provincial economy.
As the Ontario Government releases its 2023 budget, the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is calling on Queen’s Park to make strategic investments in the trucking supply chain, which will create jobs, ensure supply chain resiliency, and protect the future health of Ontario’s economy.
“Throughout the COVID crisis, it has become abundantly clear to all in society just how crucial the Ontario truck driver is to our economy. Without truck drivers the economy comes to a halt,” said OTA Chair James Steed. “OTA wants to work with the Government of Ontario to develop a plan that invests in current and future truck drivers – one that will help alleviate the ongoing truck driver shortage addressing the working conditions of these drivers; specializes and places value on our skilled workforce, while making roads and highways safer for all users.”
OTA’s investment plan, includes:
- The Government of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund should invest in preliminary driver training as well employment-ready training for the for-hire trucking industry;
- The Ontario Budget must support Minister Mulroney’s plan to expand truck driver rest areas across Northern and Southern Ontario;
- The Government of Ontario must continue to make the construction of the Bradford By-Pass and Hwy 413 a priority;
- The Government of Ontario should invest in the creation of two vocational schools, similar to popular and successful training schools in Quebec, which specialize in graduating highly skilled, work-ready truck and transit drivers as well as heavy duty vehicle technicians;
- The Government of Ontario should invest in more WSIB enforcement officers to protect truck drivers whose labour rights are being violated by Driver Inc. trucking fleets and temporary placement agencies.
“The Government of Ontario has shown its commitment to our sector throughout the COVID crisis, which continues today,” said Steed. “OTA looks forward to working with the province to discuss the implementation of our plan to invest in truck drivers who drive Ontario’s economy.”