“We appreciate all the work being done to date to restore control and enforcement; however, it is falling short and taking way too long. We need more action, and we need it now and we can't wait until 2027 for solutions to be signed off on,” said Geoff Wood, CTA’s Sr. VP Policy. “Provinces and territories have a key role to play in the oversight of the industry, and it can’t come fast enough.”

CTA has provided a host of solutions to CCMTA in 2024 to address the major challenges facing the safety fitness regime and how to address other areas of non-compliance. The Alliance was advised yesterday recommendations would not be finalized until 2026 and would not be put to ministers for consideration until 2027.

“These timelines are unacceptable,” said Wood.

CTA will continue to work with CCMTA, the Council Ministers and Deputies (Transportation) and its provincial associations until this work is completed, including tearing down of inter-provincial trade barriers of which Safety Fitness and Carrier oversight has been identified, but an expedited timeline will be necessary and CTA will be requesting this directly from the Ministers.  

“Fair competition, safety and compliance, law and order and respecting workers’ rights must prevail – we have no choice, and we will hold governments accountable until we get back to normal,” Wood said.