News
Mounties and APTA Join Cargo-Theft Fight
FREDERICTON, NB - Trucking, law enforcement and insurance interests are coming together to address what they say is the growing problem of cargo theft in one part of Canada. The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Atlantic Provinces Trucking Trucking Association (APTA) are set to formally announce a program on Wednesday to help raise awareness of and combat cargo theft, which includes stealing trucks or trailers containing merchandise. Cargo theft in Atlantic Canada and across the country has become a serious issue, according to ICB, the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. "Not only does it put the safety of Canadians in jeopardy, it can cost the Canadian economy billions of dollars and is often linked to organized crime, which uses the proceeds to fund activities such as gun and drug smuggling," the group said in a release. Today's Trucking will have more details about this following the full announcement.
Port Metro Vancouver Truckers Return to Court Over Back Pay
VANCOUVER, BC -- One labor union is asking a British Columbia judge to force Container Trucking Commissioner Andy Smith to order the payment of back wages it claims are owed by port trucking companies to container truckers at Port Metro Vancouver. In documents filed with the court on Tuesday, Unifor is alleging that Smith is in a clear conflict of interest because he is employed as both the commissioner and the lead lobbyist of the BC Maritime Employers' Association, an organization representing many commercial interests connected to Port Metro Vancouver. The truckers shut down the port for around four weeks in March 2014 over long wait times and pay, eventually leading to a settlement and ending the protests, known as the Joint Action Plan. It was signed by Premier Christy Clark, representatives for federal Minister of Transportation Lisa Raitt, and Unifor.
Diesel Prices Continue Decline, Canadian Crude Tumbles
LONDON, ON and WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fuel prices continue falling, returning to levels seen earlier in the year while also hitting their lowest price in several years south of the border, according to figures released this week. The petroleum information services provider The Kent Group reports average Canadian cost of diesel shed another $0.006 this week, hitting $1.086 per liter. This marks its sixth consecutive weekly drop and is at its lowest level since early February. Compared to this week a year ago the average cost of diesel is down $0.212. Prices are varied across the country, averaging $1.14 per liter in the Atlantic Provinces, $1.226 in Quebec, $1.166 in Ontario and $1.16 in the Western Provinces. This happened as national average cost of regular grade gasoline fell $0.008 over the past week to $1.176 per liter, the third straight weekly decline and its lowest price since last May.
