AMTA 2022: Year in Review

2023 AMTA Awards nominations now open!

Recognizing the right skills and attitudes needed to share the road with less experienced drivers

Dave Elniski, AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

Truckers and other professional drivers share their workspace with drivers of all different skill levels. It isn’t always obvious who has experience and who does not, especially under ideal conditions when traffic is steady.

Are you an employer with workers? If so, you’re required to fill out an annual return reporting your workers’ assessable earnings paid in the last year along with what earnings you expect to pay in the upcoming year. This is important information to ensure you’re paying the correct premium amount.

‘Tis the season for Christmas parties, and in many cases, comes the serving of alcohol at a company sanctioned event. This is often part of the company culture and in line with the lifestyles of many of the workers but certainly not in all cases. Regardless, the risk of serving alcohol at workplace sanctioned events can outweigh the benefits.

Via Canadian Trucking Alliance

Background

CTA: The Government of Canada will be implementing new measures related to Paid Medical Leave (Bill-C3) on December 1. 2022. In practice, this new entitlement will provide all employees in the federally regulated private sector, including trucking companies, with ten paid sick days. These days will be in addition to the five days already provided under ‘personal leave’ and any vacation that may be taken. These 15 days have been permanently added to the Canada Labour Code and will begin to be available to current employees in 2023.

Dave Elniski, AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

On November 25th, 2022, the Government of Alberta announced plans to complete the twinning of the remaining portions of Highway 3.  Broken into eight phases with varying timings, the plan is to twin the remaining 215 kilometres of the Southern Alberta highway. [1]

AMTA December 2022 Driver of the Month: Barinder Singh

The application period for the Canada Summer Job (CSJ) program now open and will close on January 12, 2023. The CSJ is a wage subsidy that supports youth to gain valuable work experience and provides employers with support when hiring youth for summer employment.

Applicants can seek funding to hire youth between April 24, 2023 and September 2, 2023.

Receive up to $10,ooo in training grants and wage incentives

The program is open to all Canadian trucking and logistics employers who are looking to hire for driving and non-driving positions. Qualified candidates must be either a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident or granted Refugee Status.

On Dec 1, 2022, WCB announced the 2023 industry rates. The average industry rate will increase from $1.17 by nine cents to $1.26 rather than $1.50, which would be required to cover the total forecasted claims cost for 2023. WCB will absorb the additional costs from its accident fund, to cover $270 million in employer premiums.

Brian Dumsday posthumous recipient of AMTA 2022 Friend to Industry Award

As an Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) member, you can receive exclusive discounts on your home and auto insurance through BrokerLink’s group insurance program.

Changes to the Canada Labour Code will introduce 10 days paid medical leave for all federally regulated employers effective December 1, 2022.[1] There will be no exemption for companies with fewer than 100 employees.

AMTA sends its condolences to the family of G. Ben Docktor, of long time association member Docktor Freight Solutions Corp.

Dave Elniski, AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

I recently had a conversation with Harmeet Shoker, the Safety and Compliance Director for Rig Logistics. We discussed a number of topics (mostly sharing our thoughts about what skills and attitudes make someone a professional driver). Both of us started in Canada’s trucking industry as a truck driver – flatbeds for me, vans for him – but our experiences have been dramatically different.

*Photo via TAT newsletter

Through a Coalition Build (CB) in Alberta, a Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) meeting in British Columbia and a Fleet Safety Council Event in Ontario, Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) staff engaged leaders from the energy and trucking industries and law enforcement in efforts to combat human trafficking in Canada.

Alberta: The Government of Alberta is making changes to the eligibility criteria for Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridor’s Driving Back to Work (DBTW) Grant. These changes will make grant funding available to a wider variety of Albertans. The grant will continue to provide funding to support recipients in the process of obtaining their Class 1 licence, specifically to complete Air Brake training and Class 1 Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT).

Everyone in Alberta’s commercial transportation industry is familiar with the name Dean Paisley.

Throughout his 48-year career, Dean had tremendous impacts not only on the industry but also on the lives of all who knew him.

In honour of Dean’s life – and his many significant contributions to both AMTA and the industry, the association’s Board of Directors has announced that AMTA’s Service to Industry Award has been changed to the Dean Paisley Service to Industry Award.

AMTA November 2022 Driver of the Month: Harwinder Khaira