Last year ended positively for the Canadian trucking industry and for those fleets that follow the rules and subscribe to ethical and compliant business practices.
Specifically, Ottawa made major announcements in the 2025 budget to crack down on the unscrupulous Driver Inc. practice, demonstrating its commitment to addressing tax evasion and driver misclassification. We must build on this momentum in 2026 while continuing to press governments to address other outstanding challenges that persist across our industry.
In 2026, the industry must work to ensure these commitments remain in place and that enforcement is meaningful. A reversal of the achievements and commitments to date would undermine confidence across the sector. The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) will continue to be vocal on this issue throughout the year.
Unfortunately, the deterioration of our industry is not limited to tax evasion and misclassification. There are many other significant, compounding issues that must also be addressed. Many fleets are engaged in practices designed to avoid provincial truck safety oversight related to drivers, commercial vehicles and fleet operations.
Insurance fraud remains rampant, and we must overcome unsafe practices that are not only endangering the lives of drivers, but also the lives of Canadians and Americans who share the road with them.
Dangerous contraband
Some of these carriers are also engaged in forced labor practices and are linked to the movement of illicit domestic and international shipments of dangerous contraband, including drugs and guns. Unfortunately, this is a sad reality in 2026, and greater emphasis needs to be placed on border security.
What can be done from a federal government perspective to deal with this lawlessness? Here are some suggestions:
- Vigorously enforce the commitments made in Budget 2025
- Take leadership in coordinating truck safety among the provinces and territories
- Create a national truck safety database
- Take decisive steps to end immigration abuses by trucking companies
- Review and enhance security criteria for crossing the Canada–U.S. border
The policy agenda for trucking is becoming clear in 2026. Federal, provincial and territorial governments are meeting to develop an action plan to address truck safety.
Chameleon carriers
Issues such as ghosting, chameleon carriers, a centralized database to monitor and risk-assess fleets, increased data sharing, and multi-agency enforcement at truck inspection stations will be front and centre in discussions between CTA and government.
Officials must return from these meetings with a mandate to uphold their commitments and establish attainable completion schedules. These efforts will also give each provincial association an opportunity to reshape the direction of truck safety in its respective jurisdiction.
Discussions related to the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement and trade with the United States will be even more topical in 2026 than ever before.
Secure the border
With recent executive orders from the White House addressing the flow of illegal drugs across the Canada–U.S. border, as well as the multifaceted issues surrounding unsafe trucking companies and commercial drivers operating on U.S. roads and forced labor, we have no choice but to tackle these issues head-on and help find solutions to end this lawlessness and secure the border.
The threats at our borders and to our supply chain continue to evolve rapidly, and so must the policies that govern the border. CTA has already asked both the Canadian and U.S. governments to engage with our industry to change the scope of trucking border security programs, with a renewed focus on carriers engaged in international commerce.
Dissenting groups
Change is in the air, and there is now an opportunity for CTA to shift the balance of power back to an industry based on law and order. This will not be an easy task, as we fully expect dissenting groups and voices opposed to these solutions to respond forcefully.
Those intent on maintaining the status quo and diverting attention from the chaos, disorder and enforcement gaps will attempt to exert influence in Ottawa and in provincial capitals. While this will undoubtedly be an important year for our industry, it will also be a critical political year in Ottawa and provincial legislatures.
It is time for our leaders to act accordingly by showing the moral fortitude to stand up for what is right, not what offers short-term political gain.
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