OTTAWA, Ont. — The Liberal government’s recently-tabled federal budget features many items that could have an impact on trucking and logistics employers.

According to Trucking HR Canada (THRC), which compiled a list of which items could be of specific interest to those in the trucking industry, the new budget items could change several HR areas of operation including: training, youth, gender, and pay equity.

Training
The budget includes a $1.7 billion training benefit over five years. It will provide Canadians between 25-64 years of age (who make between $10,000-$150,000) a non-taxable training credit of $250 per year (up to a maximum of $5000). As THRC says, the obvious benefit here is the improved access to training for all Canadians.

As well, Skills Canada will receive $40 million over four years to promote skills trades to young people. It also includes $6 million over two years for a national campaign to promote skills trades as a first-choice career. Trucking, which is desperate to inject some young people into its workforce should start to seek partnership opportunities now to make sure trucking is on young people’s radar, THRC recommends.

Youth
The budget also includes $49.5 million over five years to launch a newer, Youth Employment Strategy. THRC says, “the trucking and logistics sector looks to better attract and recruit young people, we will continue our leadership in this area, and identify funding opportunities for our industry.”

Gender and diversity
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is set to receive $5 million over five years to develop a strategy to better monitor gender disparity and under-represented groups across skills programming. THRC says it will make sure the trucking industry will be addressed as it works closely with ESDC.

You can read the THRC’s full list, here.