The Ontario Trucking Association, which has been the voice of the Ontario trucking industry since 1926, believes the industry’s concerns should be voiced in a responsible and professional manner that does not risk or threaten public safety.
Rolling blockades on public highways are a threat to public safety and are not responsible or effective expressions of citizens’ or groups’ democratic right to protest. These actions are not reflective of the practices and behaviours of the vast majority of the compliant drivers and companies in our sector. OTA condemns such behaviour and encourages participants to continue to work with the Government of Ontario to resolve their issues in a peaceful manner that does not jeopardize public safety and disrupt the flow of commerce and the travel schedules of passenger vehicle drivers, particularly during a national health crisis – and immediately following a fatal accident this morning on Hwy 401, which already snarled traffic for several hours.
It is OTA’s understanding that the trucking firms participating in this rolling blockade are opposed to a decade-old trucking policy that regulates how trucks are built and operate safely on public highways – known as SPIF (Safe, Productive and Infrastructure Friendly). The Government of Ontario has actively engaged the Ontario trucking industry for over 20 years on this matter and multiple segments of the trucking industry are already in compliance with the policy. To be in compliance with SPIF, all sizes of trucking companies have invested billions of dollars in new equipment that better protects Ontario’s road infrastructure and improves vehicle safety.
The Government of Ontario, before and throughout the pandemic, has engaged collaboratively with the trucking industry on all truck policy issues. OTA stands ready to work with the Government of Ontario and all members of the trucking industry to ensure Ontario’s trucking industry is competitive and safe.