Consider this and we’ll look at some more questions:
In 2013 there was an unemployment rate in Nova Scotia of 9.3% , which is approximately 46,700 people out of work. Let’s go back to an article from the Halifax Chronicle Herald and the interview with Paul Easson, (A Chair of the Canadian Trucking Alliance during the study). Here’s the excerpt,
“To combat this shortage, Paul Easson, President of Easson’s Transport Ltd. of Berwick, said he brought in four drivers from Jamaica last summer and anticipates bringing on at least a dozen more this year.”
Maybe I’m missing something here, but does this seem right to you? And why are members of the CTA that are aware of the problems and solutions not setting an example to lead the way?
Another cost of importing drivers
If we import 16 people and their families. (Let’s say roughly 50 more people including spouses and children), what are ALL the costs?
Do you feel as a country we should be looking at our own resources first to deal with the trucker shortage?
So, what we asked all 46,700 unemployed people in Nova Scotia if they’d be interested in driving a truck under a sponsorship training program? Do you think we wouldn’t at least get 16…30…or 100, to say yes? Being a one time resident of Nova Scotia myself and knowing how hard they work, I know people that would jump at this chance.
How about the additional burden of the new workers and their families qualifying for health care benefits after they’re eligible?
So after the families are eligible, the additional cost is roughly $300,000/year for 50 new immigrants in health care costs? (Based on average health care costs of roughly $6,000/year per person.)
Let’s say a truck driving school cost around $8,000. The taxpayer could have trained another 37 drivers at a one time cost of $300,000. The health care burden for the new immigrants will be a yearly cost of $300,000 and will actually increase each year. I’d be scared to do the full math on this one, and I’m sure you would be as well.
As a taxpayer, this concerns me. I believe in immigration as it relates to the cultural and economic growth to this country. Many of us were there once, but shouldn’t immigration be set to the economy and other obvious employment (or lack of) situations? We’re still in a recession, and have been for a few years now.
Truck driving is still considered “unskilled” labour in Canada so companies must sponsor immigrant drivers through PNP (Provincial Nominee Programs) instead of the regular Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) channels.
To make this simple, the government has special programs for what they call “semi-skilled” occupations that are not very desirable, or high paying jobs for Canadians.
Here are a few more questions to think about again.
- Do you think these PNP programs are just one more way that companies can keep
exploiting drivers? - What do these sponsorship positions pay the “new” drivers?
- What are all the costs associated to the company, and what are the true short and long term costs to the taxpayer?
- What are the short, and long term problems associated with these programs?
- Is this a long term solution to the trucker shortage, or a quick fix that adds more long term burden to the taxpayer?
- Does it allow them to avoid improving the pay and conditions to drivers while increasing their own profitability?
- Does it give them a new group of people that are just “happy to be here”, usually recruited from countries that have lower living and working standards than we have in Canada?
Other Factors
The industry also has a lack of “qualified” drivers, partially due to “disqualifying” a large percentage of the drivers we currently have. Insurance companies haven’t helped much by increasing their requirements for a driver to be hired.
Many companies can’t hire you if you’re under the age of 25. I’d think that most people have chosen their career path long before then. A ticket, driving infraction, criminal convictions, and even credit checks can also eliminate you from certain job opportunities.
There are so many factors as to why people are leaving the industry and very few others who want to get into it like: log book rules, regulations, fines, lack of pay, benefits, respect, home time, no pensions and other factors.
How can younger people be attracted to an industry with so many negative qualities?
The trucker shortage has had little effect on ice road trucking. TV shows are increasing the supply with so many drivers adding it to their bucket list.
Ice road trucking pay is actually quite low compared to the oil and gas industry. I’ve worked in both industries and the difference in pay per hours actually worked is substantial. The only benefit I saw on the ice roads was the amount of hours you could work in relation to regular highway work. The hours of service have allowances for northern and winter road operators.
