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Following several collisions involving heavy vehicles, Quebec has announced new measures aimed at addressing the issue of inexperienced drivers from Ontario.
Under the changes announced Thursday, truck drivers in Ontario with less than two years of experience who wish to work in Quebec and exchange their Class 1 heavy vehicle driver’s license will be required to take practical exams.
This requirement applies to all drivers with less than 24 months of Class 1 driving experience. If these drivers fail the practical tests twice, they will be required to complete mandatory training.
In a news release, the province’s automobile insurance board said this measure follows a May report by Ontario’s auditor general about commercial driver’s licenses, which highlighted the need to strengthen the oversight of training and licensing programs.
Until now, for heavy-duty truck drivers moving to Quebec, the transfer of their licences was automatic, with no additional questions asked about the quality of the training they received, Quebec Transport Minister Benoit Charette said.
The Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) also said a working group was established to “develop a coordinated approach to strengthening road safety requirements regarding the operation of vehicles by temporary foreign workers.”
According to the SAAQ, the goal of the working group is to propose regulatory changes to better address road safety issues and increase the number of workers who adopt safe driving practices.
A temporary measure
On Radio-Canada’s Tout Un Matin, Charette said the changes are temporary.
He said the province will examine what impact the measures put in place in Ontario will have on road safety in Quebec.
Marc Cadieux, CEO of the Quebec Trucking Association, said the new measures are a “step in the right direction.”
However, Cadieux pointed out that this will not fully solve the problem.
“In some cases, this kind of initiative also requires legislative changes by the government,” he said.
“The issue also involves all the others who hold licences from other provinces … whose licences are often considered questionable in terms of driving experience.”
A new report by the province’s auditor general said Ontario is not effectively monitoring commercial truck driver training, leading to many unqualified drivers on the roads. CBC’s Lorenda Reddekopp breaks down the findings.
