TORONTO, Ont. — Canadian carriers have been granted a temporary reprieve from the controversial US Department of Agriculture (USDA) plan to levy inspection fees against Canadian trucks at the border.

The fees were initially slated to come into place Nov. 24, but the US government has announced it will not take effect until Mar. 1, 2007. Canadian Trucking Alliance CEO, David Bradley, made the announcement at the Ontario Trucking Association’s annual convention.

“We still think the rule stinks,” he added after applauding the US government for delaying its implementation. In a release, he said “There are a lot of issues still to be ironed out. We still feel strongly that the program, which will tax every truck crossing from Canada into the United States whether they are hauling agricultural products or not, should be withdrawn.”

The USDA still plans in introducing the inspection fees in March, but says the delay will giver Canadian carriers more time to prepare. It announced it will stagger implementation of the inspection fees.