Title: MPs Investigate Trucking Sector Labor Standards

OTTAWA — A House of Commons committee has initiated a study into labor standards in Canada’s trucking sector, responding to concerns raised by the Bloc Québécois about exploitative practices in the industry. The committee is examining a business model known as "Driver Inc.," where trucking companies classify drivers as independent contractors instead of employees.

Stephen Laskowski, president and CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, addressed the committee, stating, "The unfortunate truth about this scam is that bad actors are not only winning, they are also taking over the industry and the Canadian supply chain." He emphasized that drivers under this model are often indistinguishable from traditional employees, as they typically do not own or lease their vehicles and have minimal financial investment in their work.

Laskowski explained that this classification allows companies to deny drivers essential benefits. He noted, "The only difference is they are coached, coerced or elect to incorporate themselves in an attempt to masquerade as something other than an employee. For the company, they use this justification to strip workers of all their labor right entitlements."

The Canadian Trucking Alliance highlighted that drivers classified as independent contractors face various liabilities, including tax, labor code, and workers’ compensation issues. The committee plans to hold at least six meetings and will likely invite the Minister of Transport and the secretaries of state for labor and revenue to provide testimony.

Bloc Québécois MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval, who serves as the party’s transport critic, held a press conference with industry representatives. They proposed ten recommendations to the federal government, which include calling for an official inquiry into driver exploitation, establishing a public registry of non-compliant companies, and banning temporary foreign workers from operating as incorporated drivers. Barsalou-Duval stated, "For us, it’s important to resolve the crisis in the trucking industry because there are jobs in Quebec that are in danger."

Angela Splinter, CEO of Trucking Human Resources Canada, also spoke at the committee meeting, asserting that unethical trucking companies are operating in "clear violation" of tax and labor codes. She described the situation as a "black market, an illegal rogue practice within the Canadian trucking sector, characterized by the deliberate misclassification of truck drivers as independent contractors rather than employees."

Splinter warned that the "Driver Inc." model threatens the long-term sustainability of the workforce and creates a "rigged market" where compliant carriers struggle to compete against those exploiting the system for profit. She added, "This negative reputation fostered by these unethical practices is prompting new entrants and existing workers to seek opportunities elsewhere. There is a growing concern that the lack of labor protections will have a profound impact on the availability of skilled workers in the future."