TORONTO, Ont.  — Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) chairman David Carruth and OTA president Stephen Laskowski appeared before the Standing Committee on General Government to lend the association’s support for Bill 66 as it relates specifically to Ministry of Transportation and Labor issues.

Bill 66 amendments to the Employment Standards Act include:

• Section 2 of the Act, which no longer requires employers to post a poster in the workplace;
• Part VII amendment to remove the Director’s approval for employers to make agreements that allow their employees to exceed 48 hours of work in a workweek;
• Part VIII of the Act to remove the Director’s approval for employers to make agreements that allow them to average their employees’ hours of work for the purpose of determining the employees’ entitlement to overtime pay. The employees’ hours may be averaged in accordance with the terms of an averaging agreement between the employee and the employer over a period that does not exceed four weeks.

In general, these measures reduce excessive red tape and the administrative burden placed on employers, including provincially regulated trucking companies.

Bill 66 also amends the Highway Traffic Act to provide that where a permit issued by the Ministry or another jurisdiction pursuant to the International Registration Plan, this requirement may also be satisfied with an electronic version of the permit, provided that the permit complies with the requirements of the International Registration Plan and with any requirements established by the Ministry. References to permits issued by the Ministry pursuant to the Canadian Agreement on Vehicle Registration are repealed.

“The allowances for electronic credentialing through IRP further streamlines the program and reduces the burden on fleets to carry individual paper copies of registration documents in each vehicle,” Carruth said.

OTA also used this opportunity before the committee to raise ‘open for business’ opportunities and discussions on reducing red tape for the trucking sector.

“Premier Ford has already shown a strong commitment and interest in making our sector more competitive. We look forward to working with the premier and Todd Smith, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, in making sure Ontario remains open for business and that regulations help grow business rather than impede growth.”