TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is applauding the federal government’s decision to reinforce Canada’s vehicle recall process, governed under Strengthening Motor Vehicle Safety for Canadians Act (Bill S-2).

“Bill S-2 will grant the federal transport minister new powers to order manufacturers and importers of the majority of power units and trailers sold in Canada to issue recall notices and order the correction of any issues of non-compliance, which the minister believes is in the interest of safety,” said Stephen Laskowski, senior vice president of the CTA, which made several related recommendations in a recent white paper. “While that suggests the scope of the policy may be somewhat limited to matters of safety, this is a positive development for purchasers of heavy-duty trucking equipment.”

Bill S-2 applies to any vehicle or equipment manufacturer that produce products which receive a national safety mark, anyone that sells a vehicle or piece of equipment to which a national safety mark is applied, and/or any imports of vehicle or equipment of a class which standards are prescribed. 

While the wording “in the interest of safety” is not defined by the Motor Vehicle Safety Act or regulations, research conducted by Gowling WLG on behalf the CTA indicates many Transport Canada websites and publications suggest what the Minister could consider when evaluating specific defects or matters of non-compliance.

“There are several factors at play here but it really comes down to a problem that occurs with little or no warning and is not due to everyday wear and tear, a lack of maintenance, or negligence by the owner,” says Laskowski, adding that the definition appears to be limited to the range of defects that directly endanger someone’s safety, not defects that cause an indirect safety-related issue.