The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) says the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) has assured it that provinces and territories are committed to enforcing an electronic logging device (ELD) mandate beginning in January.

That deadline represents a delay in the rule that was first to be enforced beginning last month, largely because few devices were certified leading up to the original deadline. All ELDs used to meet the mandate must be certified as meeting underlying technical standards.

Fifty-two ELD models are now certified by Transport Canada.

“If there’s unforeseen circumstances that lead to a jurisdiction not being ready to enforce, other jurisdictions that are ready and prepared will not be held back and will go forward,” said Geoff Wood, CTA’s senior vice-president – policy. “The industry has been well prepared for this rule for a long time and has waited long enough for enforcement. It’s time enforcement begins.”

British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador have yet to establish their respective regulatory paths. But the B.C. government has assured the B.C. Trucking Association that enforcement will begin in the western province Jan. 1, and the Quebec Trucking Association (QTA) expects regulatory matters to be finalized soon.

The Ontario and Quebec trucking associations both say government officials confirmed the deadlines for them in April.

Quebec Transport Minister Francois Bonnardel confirmed the deadline for QTA directors on April 29, says Marc Cadieux, CEO of the Quebec Trucking Association.

The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) also believes Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador will enforce the rules beginning in January.

The provincial associations are among those that make up the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

“We can’t afford another delay with this implementation,” said Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA). “Carriers are ready, therefore Transport Canada and all jurisdictions should move this forward.”

“This is an important industry initiative for raising the bar on road safety,” added Aaron Dolyniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association.