The Canadian Trucking Alliance is calling for immediate action to close regulatory loopholes that allow so-called “chameleon carriers” to continue operating after losing their safety credentials.
The call follows a fatal collision in Brandon, Man., in which a semi-truck driver has been charged with dangerous driving causing death after allegedly running a stop sign at highway speed, killing a 49-year-old woman.
CTA says the carrier involved had its Manitoba safety fitness certificate revoked in 2021, but was later able to obtain operating authority in Alberta and return to the road.
“This chameleon carrier phenomenon allows bad actors to blend back into the industry with zero accountability, functioning as a continuous threat to public safety,” said Stephen Laskowski, president and CEO of the CTA.
Aaron Dolyniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association, said the company should not have been operating.
“In our view, this accident is one that should not have happened, because this company should not exist,” he said.
CTA says the incident exposes gaps in Canada’s carrier oversight system, where operators can lose credentials in one province and reappear under a new name or jurisdiction elsewhere.
The issue was also raised in a recent Ontario Auditor General report, which warned of limited real-time data sharing between provinces and the ability of non-compliant carriers to exploit those gaps.
Federal and provincial transportation ministers are expected to meet this fall to discuss enforcement and safety issues in the trucking sector. CTA says it has already provided governments with a plan that includes stricter interprovincial data sharing and a unified national safety database.
“We do not need more discussion; we need immediate execution. Canadian lives depend on it,” Laskowski said.
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