Canada’s equipment manufacturers stress they’re ‘essential’

by Today's Trucking

OTTAWA, Ont. – Canadian trailer and vocational truck manufacturers are stressing they’re “essential”, as governments close other workplaces in the fight against Covid-19.

“The most critical concern for many of our members right now is the definition of ‘essential workplaces’ at the provincial level, and federal should the Emergencies Act be invoked,” says Don Moore, director – government industry relations at the Canadian Transportation Equipment Association.

CTEA Don Moore
Don Moore, CTEA

The comment comes as Ontario and Quebec release the lists of essential workplaces that will not close under general lockdowns ordered under emergency provisions.

“The Province of Quebec is not providing for manufacturing to remain open for business,” Moore said, noting that CTEA has written Quebec Minister of the Economy and Innovation Pierre Fitzgibbon, asking him to identify such work as essential. It’s asking members of the organization to do the same.

Noting that member companies provide services and equipment used to move goods and maintain infrastructure, the letter to the minister notes that “these vehicles are essential for people of Quebec and Canada to meet their basic needs during this difficult time.

“For our member companies to provide these essential vehicles, they also require their supply chain of manufacturers in Quebec to continue to provide parts, components and systems,” Moore writes in that letter.

“All manufacturing supply chains are now so integrated that these companies rely on each other for necessary parts, components and services. It only takes one small part to be missing for a supply chain to fall apart.”

  • This story has been edited to incorporate quotes from the letter to Fitzgibbon.

 

 


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