{"id":9149,"date":"2025-09-26T17:13:44","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T17:13:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cantruck.ca\/?p=9149"},"modified":"2025-09-26T17:13:46","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T17:13:46","slug":"editorial-trucking-labour-crisis-politics-not-ai-shapes-this-industrys-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cantruck.ca\/fr\/editorial-trucking-labour-crisis-politics-not-ai-shapes-this-industrys-future\/","title":{"rendered":"EDITORIAL: Trucking Labour Crisis: Politics, Not AI, Shapes This Industry\u2019s Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The following editorial by CTA president Stephen Laskowski was featured in The Future Economy\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trucking industry isn\u2019t going anywhere. It may evolve with technology\u2014but until we reach the world of Star Trek, where freight is beamed from one city to the next, goods will continue to move by truck, train, boat, or plane. In Canada, most domestic freight and trade with the US moves by truck\u2014more specifically, by the hard-working, professional driver behind the wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Automation and Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autonomous, driverless trucks\u2014powered by AI and robotics\u2014may one day change that. But until those technologies are perfected, aligned and adapted to Canada\u2019s unique topography, ever-changing weather, gaps in infrastructure\u2014and most importantly, deemed safe and acceptable by the public and policymakers\u2014the human behind the wheel will remain the lifeblood of the Canadian economy in one capacity or another. I believe we\u2019re still a long way from changing that reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why the conversation about AI and automation in trucking is complex and somewhat ambiguous. It threatens the livelihood of over 300,000 Canadians who make their living moving freight as long-haul truck drivers (and the hundreds of thousands more doing local and regional delivery). Replacing that many people isn\u2019t just an economic shock\u2014it ruptures the tectonic plates supporting our social fabric, on which we all depend. Politicians, manufacturers, and trade associations must understand that when we talk about automation, we\u2019re not just talking about efficiency\u2014we\u2019re talking about people\u2019s futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet, here\u2019s a hard truth that most truck drivers would probably agree with: if AI robots ever do take over our roadways, it stands to reason they can\u2019t be exploited by governments which allow the expansion of the underground economy, where unscrupulous fleet owners prey on workers by scoffing at labour and tax laws. Because that\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Real Threat: Politics, Not Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be clear: the future of labour in trucking isn\u2019t being determined by technology like in other industries. It\u2019s being shaped by a lack of government oversight and political will to get serious about ending organized corruption and deliberate non-compliance in our industry. That\u2019s what\u2019s driving the chaos in our sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Did We Get Here?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2011, the federal government quietly issued a temporary moratorium on enforcing T4A forms\u2014the documents that report payments to contractors to the CRA. That \u201ctemporary\u201d pause is now entering its 14th year. Whether that\u2019s indecision or political interference, I\u2019ll let CRA officials or politicians answer for themselves. But let\u2019s be honest\u201414 years is neither temporary nor acceptable when the consequences are this severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what happened in trucking as a result? In 2011, the Personal Services Business (PSB) tax category was barely used in our industry. In 2025, trucking is now the number one user of that classification\u2014even though PSBs get no small business deductions, fall into some of the highest tax brackets, and are denied protections under the Canada Labour Code. In other words, it is a gross, widespread misapplication of the PSB model in an industry where it doesn\u2019t make any economic sense for anyone who files and pays their taxes properly. Why would any worker choose this? Simple\u2014they don\u2019t. They\u2019re told it\u2019s the only option if they want the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Underground Labour Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This brings us to the labour side of the underground economy. ESDC has already acknowledged that most PSBs in trucking are actually employees\u2014misclassified, plain and simple. And yet, enforcement is minimal and penalties, when they do occur, are just a rounding error for many of these carriers that gain so many more unfair advantages by breaking the law. Enforcement is nowhere near enough to reverse this crisis. Yes, it is a crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try hiring an employee driver in certain regions of the country today. If you\u2019re not offering an underground PSB \u201cpackage,\u201d up to 80% of candidates will walk away. Combine that with the cost savings for employers who dodge payroll taxes and WSIB premiums, and countless other payroll expenses, and honest fleets simply can\u2019t compete. Many are either being forced to adopt these shady practices or are slowly going out of business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Human Cost<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And let\u2019s not ignore the human cost. A disproportionate number of these misclassified drivers are newcomers to Canada, often forced to work at 1980s-level wages. Even US border officials have flagged this exploitation in visa interviews\u2014incredulously asking, \u201cWhat is going on in Canada?\u201d Meanwhile, Ottawa says very little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, the Fall Economic Statement promised that the 2023 federal budget would address this growing tax and labour abuse crisis. It didn\u2019t. The budget came and went without a word about it. There\u2019s been silence from Ottawa and most provinces ever since. Why? Political pressure often keeps leaders from doing the right thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Real Future of Labour in Trucking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So next time someone asks you what robotics or driverless vehicles might do to the future of trucking, tell them this: the future of labour in trucking is already a mess\u2014and it has nothing to do with AI or robots. It\u2019s being undermined by political horse-trading, inaction, and a refusal to enforce the very laws that are supposed to protect workers and ensure fairness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only ones suffering are law-abiding truckers and honest fleet owners who believed politicians when they said the rules mattered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Call to Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our hope? The Government of Canada will care less about politics and more about fixing the crisis undermining Canada\u2019s largest freight transportation sector by doing something incredibly simple: enforcing the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need futuristic technology to clean up this industry; you just need the courage to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, our hope is that the Government of Canada will put politics aside, resist political pressure and put some real effort into fixing the crisis undermining Canada\u2019s largest freight transportation sector by doing something incredibly simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n