November 7, 2022 Gatineau, Quebec Employment and Social Development Canada
Today, Minister of Labour Seamus O'Regan Jr. met with the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) and Teamsters in Toronto, Ontario, to discuss targeted investments to address misclassification and protect the rights of road transportation workers.
In the trucking industry, there is a long history of companies using the misleading "Driver Inc." practice, whereby drivers are encouraged-against their will-to self-incorporate and claim to operate as independent contractors without information on the detriments of doing so. By misclassifying employees as independent contractors, companies are denying them important rights and entitlements under the Canada Labour Code, such as paid sick leave, health and safety standards, employer contributions to Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan, and workplace injury compensation.
To protect truck drivers against this illegal practice, the Fall Economic Statement proposes $26.3 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to take stronger action against non-compliant employers through orders and fines to enforce the Code. This will make sure workers receive the benefits that they have worked hard for.
This investment will expand the Labour Program's capacity to enforce existing labour misclassification provisions in the Code.
The Fall Economic Statement also includes measures to help families cope with the growing cost of living. The government is sending targeted support to Canadians who need it the most, including: doubling the GST Credit for 11 million eligible Canadians; enhancing the Canada Workers Benefit to support 4.2 million Canadians; and making federal student and apprentice loans permanently interest free for the graduates of today and tomorrow.
The government is also moving forward with its comprehensive plan to make housing more affordable, including by helping people save to buy a home and by cracking down on house flipping. Finally, the Fall Economic Statement lays out an ambitious plan to strengthen industry and build a thriving net-zero economy with opportunities and jobs. These measures are all a part of the Government's work to build an economy that works for all Canadians.
