The 2022 Federal Budget has introduced environmental incentives, infrastructure spending and policy measures that will assist in dealing with supply chain stability. While more clarity will be required to provide further comments to the members, below are highlights CTA has identified regarding some of those opportunities.
Environmental Incentives for Medium and Heavy Trucks:
- Budget 2022 proposes to provide $547.5 million over four years, starting in 2022-23, to Transport Canada to launch a new purchase incentive program for medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs (zero-emission vehicles);
- Proposes to provide $33.8 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $42.1 million in remaining amortization, to Transport Canada to work with provinces and territories to develop and harmonize regulations and to conduct safety testing for long-haul zero-emission trucks;
- To help decarbonize vehicles already on the road, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $199.6 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, and $0.4 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to expand the Green Freight Assessment Program, which will be renamed the Green Freight Program. This will support assessments and retrofits of more vehicles and a greater diversity of fleet and vehicle types.
“CTA welcomes today’s announcement of the opportunity to work collaboratively with Transport Canada and Natural Resources Canada to build programs that will help guide investments towards a pathway to cleaner technology, which will benefit the Canadian supply chain, our members in various sectors of the industry, while reducing the supply chain’s carbon footprint,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski.
Infrastructure & National Supply Chain Summit:
- To help build more resilient and efficient supply chains, Budget 2022 will invest $450 million over five years to support supply chain projects through the National Trade Corridors Fund;
- $136.3 million over five years to develop industry-driven solutions to use data to make our supply chains more efficient;
- These investments will also complement work with what the government is doing through the newly established National Supply Chain Task Force, which will work with industry, associations and experts to examine key pressures and make recommendations regarding short-and long-term actions to strengthen Canada’s supply chain.
“The Budget’s recognition of the important work and recommendations coming from the National Supply Chain Task Force, is appreciated by CTA . The driver shortage, and solutions to alleviate it, must be addressed by the Task Force for the sake of the stability of the Canadian economy,” said. Laskowski
Improving Temporary Foreign Worker Program
- As employers across the country face difficulties in finding workers, the TFW program is experiencing a growing demand. However, additional steps need to be taken to ensure the health, safety, and quality of life for those who come to work in Canada and end the mistreatment by some employers of some temporary foreign workers;
- $29 million over three years to introduce a Trusted Employer Model that reduces red tape for repeat employers who meet the highest standards for working and living conditions, protections, and wages in high demand fields. Further details on this program will be announced in the coming year.
“The trucking industry applauds the Government of Canada for introducing the Trusted Employer Program,” said Laskowski. “We believe those coming to Canada to work in our sector should be made available to trusted employers. The Canadian trucking industry wants to help create such a program for a sector to help stabilize the supply chain and ensure that new people coming to Canada thrive in our sector.”
Days Paid Sick Leave
- In Budget 2022, the government proposes to introduce minor amendments to the Act to Amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-3) to support timely and effective implementation of 10-days of paid medical leave for workers in the federally regulated private sector.
“The issue of 10-days paid medical leave and how it is implemented is of critical importance to the trucking industry,” said Laskowski. “CTA will continue to discuss these implementation options with the Government of Canada.”