The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is renewing its call for federal enforcement action against illegal trucking practices, saying commitments made in Budget 2025 must now be backed by dedicated oversight and enforcement.
Six months after launching its Stop Illegal Trucking campaign, the alliance said it is again urging Ottawa to act against Driver Inc. operations, where carriers allegedly misclassify employees to avoid taxes and labor obligations.
The CTA said the federal government recently acknowledged the issue in Budget 2025, committing $77 million to address tax non-compliance and lifting the moratorium on mandatory T4As to require Driver Inc. operators to file taxes properly.
“We acknowledge and applaud the Government of Canada for taking a major first step by admitting the Driver Inc. model is a threat to our economy and our safety and have committed to taking real action,” CTA president and CEO Stephen Laskowski said in a news release.
Laskowski said the scale of the issue requires Ottawa to match its commitments with stronger enforcement and support for provincial authorities.
The campaign is urging Canadians to contact members of Parliament and call for increased enforcement against carriers allegedly involved in tax evasion, labour and immigration abuse.
Safety concerns
The CTA is also seeking greater federal support for provinces to address truck safety concerns and improve national oversight and data sharing.
According to the alliance, the initiative also includes resources for drivers who say they have been compelled to accept misclassification and lose access to wages, benefits and entitlements.
The CTA said Driver Inc. schemes cost the federal government more than $5 billion annually in lost tax and benefit contributions.
It also raised concerns about what it described as the proliferation of “ghost fleets,” alleging that many carriers have never been audited by provincial authorities and that a national enforcement program remains absent.
The alliance further cited concerns about labor exploitation, Labour Market Impact Assessment fraud and alleged links to organized crime involving cross-border smuggling.
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