e-4529 (Public safety)
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Minister of Transport
- In 2020, the Canadian Council of Motor Transportation Administrators, comprised of federal and provincial ministers overseeing transportation, issued Standard 16: Commercial Truck Driver Entry Level Training under the National Safety Code;
- Provinces and territories are expected to implement these standards within their respective vehicle training, licensing and regulatory frameworks, but only five provinces have yet to do so for Standard 16;
- In these provinces, training requirements vary widely, and investigations have found unqualified instructors and a lack of oversight and enforcement;
- A patchwork of driver training requirements across Canada puts all road users at greater risk due to the dangerous size and weight of commercial trucks;
- Annually, nearly 2,000 Canadians are killed and 10,000 injured in collisions involving commercial trucks, with most victims being occupants of other vehicles; and
- The federal government can issue regulations to ensure uniform requirements for road safety and the use of the road by passenger and commercial drivers.
Response by the Minister of Transport
Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez
Safety is Transport Canada’s top priority, including measures to strengthen commercial motor vehicle safety in Canada.
Commercial vehicle safety is a shared responsibility among all levels of government, industry partners, and all road users. Under the Motor Vehicle Transport Act, Transport Canada is responsible for certain operational matters relating to commercial busing and trucking activity, such as hours of service, safety ratings, and contract of carriage. Provinces and territories are responsible for driver training, licensing, vehicle registration, rules of the road, and enforcement, including the federal motor carrier rules, such as hours of service.
In this context, Transport Canada works with the provinces and territories to advance a consistent, national approach to commercial motor vehicle safety through the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. This includes oversight and maintenance of the National Safety Code for Motor Carriers, which sets out several operational safety standards for commercial vehicles, including carrier and driver profiles, safety ratings, hours of service, and facility audits. The Code is the basis for federal and provincial/territorial rules and regulations governing the safe operation of commercial vehicles, drivers, and operators, with standards either adopted by reference into jurisdictional regulation or mirrored in provincial and territorial laws.
National Safety Code Standards (https://www.ccmta.ca/en/national-safety-code)
Standard 1??????? Single Driver Licence Concept
Standard 2??????? Knowledge and Performance Tests (Drivers)
Standard 3??????? Driver Examiner Training Program
Standard 4??????? Driver Licencing Classification
Standard 5??????? Self-Certification Standards and Procedures
Standard 6??????? Determining Driver Fitness in Canada
Standard 7??????? Carrier and Driver Profiles
Standard 8??????? Short-Term Suspension
Standard 9??????? Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service
Standard 10????? Cargo Securement
Standard 11????? Maintenance and Periodic Inspection
Standard 12????? CVSA On-Road Inspection
Standard 13????? Trip Inspection
Standard 14????? Safety Rating
Standard 15????? Facility Audits
Standard 16????? Entry Level Training (Class 1)
In February 2020, the federal/provincial/territorial Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety, including the Minister of Transport, approved a national standard for entry-level training for commercial vehicles drivers. This helps ensure that commercial vehicles drivers have the essential skills and knowledge to safely operate their vehicles in Canada. The standard represents an important milestone for road safety in Canada and is embedded in the National Safety Code—the basis for consistent provincial and territorial rules for commercial vehicles, drivers, and motor carriers.
Consistent with roles and responsibilities between the federal and provincial/territorial governments, the implementation of standard 16 rests with each jurisdiction, including training, licensing frameworks, as well as the oversight and enforcement of this national standard.
- Open for signature
- July 18, 2023, at 1:10 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- November 15, 2023, at 1:10 p.m. (EDT)
- Presented to the House of Commons
-
Mike Morrice
(Kitchener Centre)
June 19, 2024 (Petition No. 441-02581) - Government response tabled
- August 21, 2024
Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.
Province / Territory | Signatures |
---|---|
Alberta | 46 |
British Columbia | 25 |
Manitoba | 18 |
New Brunswick | 10 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 3 |
Northwest Territories | 1 |
Nova Scotia | 5 |
Nunavut | 1 |
Ontario | 375 |
Prince Edward Island | 1 |
Quebec | 18 |
Saskatchewan | 36 |