TORONTO, Ont. The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) has voiced its optimism that arguments against Bill 41 at public hearings last week will not deter the province of Ontario from passing the proposed law.

“It should be noted that the hearings provided few if any fresh insights into the debate over speed limiters,” the OTA said in a release posted on its Web site. “After three years of debate and discussion, meetings and hearings, all of the arguments, both pro and con, have had a thorough airing. All of the presentations essentially re-hashed the old arguments one last time and it was clear that one day of hearings was more than adequate to ensure that all sides had a chance to be heard, one last time.”

The OTA said it expects the Bill to be passed by the Committee on Justice Policy this week and then by the legislature by the end of the month, eventually coming into effect next year at the earliest. While the Bill has received all-party support in the past, Opposition MPPs at the public hearing seemed puzzled and concerned that there was so much opposition to the proposed law from within the industry.

For a rundown of the public hearings, see editor James Menzies blog on Trucknews.com.