“I am honoured to take over as chair of the BRTF and I want to thank Doug for all of his hard work and dedication over these past two years,” said Day. “Like those who chaired the BRTF before me, I have a great passion for what it represents, including highlighting the many contributions of our diverse community who come together to find solutions for our most pressing issues. It’s truly the place where our industry comes together to reflect on where and how we want to advance as an industry.” 

 The BRTF is a standing committee of the CTA Board, which is formally convened as part of CTA Board of Directors meetings. While the BRTF was originally established to study and report on labour shortages within the industry, it has since grown to include a host of other relevant issues including recruitment, retention, industry image, along with serving as a bridge to coordinate with other industry groups such as Trucks for Change and Trucking HR Canada. 

 Like many sectors of the economy, the trucking industry is facing challenges in replacing an aging workforce with many companies struggling to recruit and retain new entrants. While the BRTF will continue to expand its mandate over the coming years, finding new and creative solutions to these issues will remain key parts of the BRTF agenda.  

 Day’s company, C.S. Day Transport Ltd., operates 21 trucks and is a third-generation family business that specializes in the safe transportation of bulk gasoline and diesel products throughout the Canadian Prairies. Heather is passionate about the trucking industry and is a board member of both the Saskatchewan Trucking Association (STA) and the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA).

 “The BRTF is the forum for the industry’s executives and leaders to discuss the industry’s largest and most pressing issues, namely those associated with the challenges of recruiting new and young talent to our industry,” said Sutherland. “I am happy to have played a part in helping to steer that conversation over these past two years and I couldn’t think of anyone better suited to take on the next chapter than Heather.”  

 Sutherland will be moving to the role of immediate past Chair, while Trevor Bent, CEO of Eassons Transport, based in Kentville, NS, will now move into the role of Vice Chair and will join Day and Sutherland as an officer of the Committee.