Saskatchewan seeks federal funds for MELT
TORONTO, Ont. – Saskatchewan is seeking financial help from the federal government to fund truck driver training, according to the Globe and Mail.
The newspaper reported this week that the province made the request in February, a month before its safety program for new Class 1 drivers took effect.
It said the two governments are reviewing options.
The mandatory entry-level training (MELT) program, unveiled in the wake of last year’s Humboldt Broncos tragedy, costs thousands of dollars, and the province says federal funding through student loans could ease the burden for prospective truckers.
Saskatchewan’s MELT program costs about $10,000 per student.
On Thursday, the Canadian Trucking Alliance praised Saskatchewan’s decision to seek help from Ottawa.
“When it comes to training dollars, CTA wants to see its prospective students given the same level of financial support as other sectors, and applauds the leadership shown by the Government of Saskatchewan in seeking this equity from Ottawa,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski.
“Once the new cabinet is appointed, CTA will be working with Ottawa to support Saskatchewan’s vision that equal training funding treatment is made available for truck drivers across Canada.”
The MELT program is at various stages of implementation nationwide.
In July, Canada’s premiers reaffirmed their commitment to adopting a minimum national entry-level training standard for truck drivers by 2021.
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IO have been an instsructor of Class 1 for 20 years, instructing on my own, not through a school and the examiners say they wish other trainers were using the same methods. This standard training should have a federal umbrella for minimum standards and then let the provinces insert their regional requirements, and do all administration of over-site and testing. They need to talk to persons in the industry such as experienced drivers, smaller employers as well as the larger carriers, and quit being dictated to by the now existing training schools that are feathering their own nests and not giving the industry what they need.