CTA Interprovincial Trade Barrier Meeting
The federal Committee on Internal Trade has invited CTA to present in July on the impact of interprovincial trade barriers on the trucking industry. CTA will highlight the recommendations outlined in our report, the progress made to date, and the ongoing issue of chameleon carriers and their impact on fair competition across Canada.
This invitation represents a significant opportunity for our industry and our organization. It reflects CTA’s growing influence and credibility with provincial and federal decision-makers and marks an important milestone in expanding our presence within intergovernmental policy discussions, underscoring the organization’s continued growth and leadership on issues that matter to the Canadian trucking sector.
CTA Meeting with Transport Deputies Across Canada
CTA met with the Deputy Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety from across Canada in late June to discuss CCMTA’s plan to deal with Driver Inc. CTA provided its thoughts, suggested timelines for implementation and additional work to be done. The deputies are meeting in the fall to finalize their plans, so this allowed CTA to provide input before they cemented their decisions. The meeting was well received by the deputies. This is only the second time in CTA’s history we have met and by all accounts the deputies are getting as much feedback from this exercise as CTA is. This is great news for the future of truck policy development.
ECCC Heavy Truck Emissions Regulations
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) recently provided an update to stakeholders on the future of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions regulations for heavy-duty vehicles. The department is reassessing its regulatory approach considering recent policy changes by the Trump Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including the EPA’s recent announcement that it intends to revise its heavy-duty NOx emissions standards.
The regulatory environment remains fluid, and ECCC has not yet outlined a definitive path forward or implementation timeline for Canada. The CTA continues to engage with ECCC to better understand the department’s direction, anticipated timelines, and opportunities for industry consultation.
CTA will also be working closely with OEMs and suppliers as discussions evolve to help ensure industry perspectives are reflected in the regulatory process. Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
Gordie Howe Bridge
The bridge is now set to open on July 27, with the bridge opening ceremony taking place shortly before or after the opening date. Here are the details of the agreement:
The primary pillars of the deal signed between Canada, Michigan, and the U.S. federal government include:
- Revenue and Profit Splitting
- The 50/50 Split: Canada has agreed to forego its original right to 100% of toll profits until construction costs were fully recouped. Instead, Canada keeps 50% of the net toll profits after operational expenses.
- The U.S. Share: The remaining 50% of net profits will be directed straight to the newly formed U.S.-side regional economic development fund.
- Toll Governance and Caps
- U.S. Veto Power: The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority must secure formal U.S. approval to implement any toll rate hikes exceeding 10%.
- Price Undercut Protection: The bridge authority is restricted from lowering toll rates below comparable regional crossings—such as the privately owned Ambassador Bridge – without explicit U.S. concurrence.
- The 15-Year Community Fund
- Long-Term Guarantee: The deal establishes a 15-year economic development fund to funnel money back into the regional cross-border communities.
- Project Funding: The fund will be actively sustained exclusively by the U.S. share of the bridge’s toll revenues.
CTA Prebudget Direction
Considering the current political and economic environment, as well as recent comments from the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, François-Philippe Champagne, CTA’s pre-budget advocacy will focus on policy issues with clear implications for Canada’s competitiveness and on recommendations that support business growth and investment in our sector.
Current priority areas include:
- Supporting a Strong and Compliant Trucking Industry
- Paid Medical Leave and the Growing Tax on Productivity
- Harmonizing with the U.S. on Permanent Full Expensing
- Border, Infrastructure and Trade Investment
With this said, this remains an active process, and we would welcome additional input from Board members on potential topics for inclusion. To submit suggestions for potential pre-budget priorities, please contact Jonathan Blackham at [email protected]
CRA Notices of ‘Requirements to Pay’
Carriers have reported to CTA they are receiving correspondence from the CRA advising that another business they have dealt with (often another carrier) has an outstanding requirement to pay the CRA. In these notices, the other carrier is identified by name along with the amount owing, which in some cases is in the multi-millions.
The “requirement to pay” notice essentially instructs that if you owe any money to the identified company – now or in the future – you are required to remit those funds directly to the CRA instead of paying the company in question. The notice also provides instructions, including a CRA contact name and account number for follow-up.
CTA has followed up with the CRA and confirmed that the notices shared with us so far are legitimate. We have been advised that these are effectively garnishment-type requests issued by the CRA when it is unable to establish a payment arrangement with a taxpayer who has an outstanding debt.
CTA has received several of these notices to date, and it is expected that members could see more over time. If you receive one and have concerns about its authenticity, you can contact the CRA directly to confirm, or reach out to [email protected]
Globe & Mail Driver Inc Coverage
We have now had two major investigative pieces in the paper, as well as an editorial and follow-up articles. We believe there will be more coverage to come. CTA encourages all associations to use these articles to help drive the narratives in your jurisdictions. The coverage echoes the messaging of CTA’s popular Stop Illegal Trucking campaign. Overall, they are well-done, comprehensive and very critical over the lack of regulatory oversight and lawlessness in trucking.