Bloc Québécois MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 22, 2024. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang
The Bloc Québécois (BQ) is calling on Ottawa to crack down on “exploitative practices” in Canada’s trucking industry, as a House of Commons committee continues to investigate an industry loophole that critics say are making the roads more dangerous.
Industry experts have warned that the rapid spread of so-called “Driver Inc.” business practices let operators drive down wages and safety standards, threatening the trucking industry’s wages and road safety. Driver Inc. refers to a practice wherein truckers hire workers as independent contractors instead of employees, allowing them to dodge payroll taxes, benefits, overtime and workplace protections, which critics say often result in worker exploitation and poorly trained drivers.
