CTA campaign targets ‘underground economy scam’

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TORONTO, Ont. – The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) continues to fight against fleets that misidentify employed drivers as independent contractors – and has now rolled out a political action campaign to take the case to Ottawa.

The latest tools in the fight against Driver Inc. include the template for a group company letter, a driver petition, and an email message for MPs explaining how the business practice affects compliant trucking companies and the Canadian economy.

Carriers are asked to sign the letter by Jan. 29, in the call to have federal agencies like the Canada Revenue Agency and Labour Canada “eradicate the underground economy”.

The CTA is also encouraging its members to have drivers sign the petition.

“Many commercial truck drivers are also actively seeking out Driver Inc. carriers to work for in order to avoid paying their fair share of taxes meant for vital government services and infrastructure like highways, health care and education. Consequently, the compliant truck drivers in the industry are unfairly bearing the tax obligation alone,” the association says in a release.

Separate email templates have been designed for governing Liberals and opposition members.

The CTA will send the letter from carriers and driver petition to Ottawa.

 “The legal issues are clear and now the outstanding issue is the scale of the enforcement response from the Government of Canada,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski. “With the new cabinet in place, it’s critical the compliant industry responds to this call to action and send a strong message that enforcement of Driver Inc. must be a CRA and ESDC priority to meet the threat of this underground economy scam.” 

The CTA estimates that the pay scheme costs Canadian coffers $1 billion.

For the full communication package in French, click here.

 

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John G. Smith is Newcom Media's vice-president - editorial, and the editorial director of its trucking publications -- including Today's Trucking, trucknews.com, and Transport Routier. The award-winning journalist has covered the trucking industry since 1995.


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  • Until they cancel the salaries for miles, and start paying normally, nothing will help! Corporations will be banned, drivers will fictitiously start renting trucks. Today, a driver earns Canadian $ 65,000 a year. In terms of the time it takes to work, it is $ 8 per hour. Over 12 years, salaries increased by 10-15%.
    This profession has become not prestigious and underpaid.
    If corporations are banned, it’s more profitable to deliver pizza.

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