The Quebec government has introduced new measures aimed at improving heavy truck safety, including mandatory road tests for some Ontario commercial drivers seeking to exchange their Class 1 licenses for Quebec equivalents.

Transport Minister Benoit Charette announced that, effective immediately, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) will require Ontario drivers with less than 24 months of Class 1 experience to pass a practical road test before receiving a Quebec Class 1 license.

Drivers who fail the test twice will be required to complete Quebec’s mandatory Class 1 training program.

The temporary measure follows a May 12 report from Ontario’s auditor general that identified weaknesses in the province’s commercial driver training and licensing system and called for stronger oversight to ensure drivers are properly qualified.

Quebec also announced the creation of a working group that will develop recommendations to strengthen road safety requirements for temporary foreign workers who operate heavy vehicles.

The group will include representatives from government ministries, agencies, industry and organizations that employ or support temporary foreign workers. Its mandate is to encourage safer driving practices and recommend regulatory changes where needed.

QTA applauds the measures

The Quebec Trucking Association (QTA) welcomed both initiatives, particularly the new testing requirement for Ontario drivers.

The association has long expressed concerns about what it describes as unsafe drivers trained in Ontario and has repeatedly urged governments to strengthen oversight.

“We know many incorporated drivers and their employers operate in Ontario,” said QTA president and CEO Marc Cadieux. “This measure is a first line of defense to protect our businesses, their drivers and all road users. Safety standards in our industry must remain an absolute priority, without exception or compromise.”

Cadieux noted the new requirement applies only to Ontario drivers who move to Quebec and exchange their licenses. It does not affect Ontario-based drivers operating commercially in Quebec.

He added the association has also urged the transport ministry to increase roadside enforcement to ensure drivers and equipment operating in Quebec meet provincial safety standards.

The QTA will also participate in the new working group on temporary foreign workers.

Calls for stronger enforcement

Jean-François Pagé, executive vice president of Transport Hervé Lemieux and a longtime critic of the Driver Inc. model, welcomed the announcement but said tougher enforcement will be needed to make a meaningful difference.

“Every time we take action against [Driver] Inc., it’s a step forward,” Pagé said.

He argued companies using the Driver Inc. model continue to face penalties that are too lenient.

“We may put new standards and new laws in place, but we have difficulty applying them effectively,” Pagé said. “These companies receive only small fines, which they often do not pay, and they continue operating. We will not solve the problem this way.”

Pagé said fines should be increased, enforcement officers should be given greater authority, and criminal charges should be considered against those operating under the Driver Inc. model.

“We need much more serious consequences for those who use this scheme to enrich themselves at the expense of others,” he said.