CIFFA Commends the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, and the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety

On February 26 CIFFA wrote to commend the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, and the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety for their recent meeting on February 22, which prioritized improving infrastructure and addressing internal trade barriers.

A key initiative announced at this meeting—a full-scale investigation and action plan by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators—will address challenges related to issuing Safety Fitness Certificates for commercial trucking operations. This is a crucial step in combatting unsafe carriers that threaten highway safety and contribute to the unchecked expansion of the underground economy. The consequences of inaction include responsible fleets being driven out of business or relocating operations south of the border.

However this step is not enough, and in the following communication we urge federal and provincial transportation ministries, along with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC – Labour Program) to increase enforcement measures to address the growing presence of the underground economy in the trucking industry. (Read full letter.)