CIAC joins call for consultation on road carrier vaccine requirements

January 13, 2022

CIAC was pleased to learn that the federal government is not proceeding with the previously announced January 15 vaccination mandate deadline for Canadian truck drivers crossing the Canada-US border.  CIAC will continue to follow developments in this area as it remains unclear if this exemption is temporary, or if it will be extended to US truckers. 

In December, CIAC joined the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and many other industries in requesting government consult with key members of the supply chain to determine a more suitable date for enforcement that would be less disruptive.   

According to the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), industry vaccination rates remain reflective of the Canadian national average as well as the regional provincial averages of 83-87 per cent. The industry expected a loss of 12,000-16,000 (10-15 per cent) cross-border commercial drivers if the mandate took effect this month, with higher or lower losses in capacity in certain regions depending on the location of companies. The enforcement of a federal domestic vaccine mandate on drivers could lead to as many as 30,000 Canadian federally regulated drivers exiting the supply chain.