Bloc Québécois Goes on the Offensive Against the “Driver Inc.” Model

The On the Road Trucking team is keeping a close eye on this contentious issue.

The long-running debate surrounding the “Driver Inc.” model and its questionable practices — which have weakened Canada’s trucking industry — has taken a sharp political turn. The Bloc Québécois has tabled a list of ten concrete demands aimed at cleaning up the sector, protecting drivers, and restoring fair competition among carriers.

The proposals target the exploitation of temporary foreign workers, call for greater financial transparency, and seek tighter coordination between federal and provincial agencies. For the Bloc, the message is clear: the time to act is now. Ottawa must curb the rise of “ghost companies” and rebuild trust among compliant employers and professional drivers who play by the rules.

At On the Road Trucking, our team is keeping a close watch on this complex issue, as the outcomes of these discussions will directly affect truck drivers, dispatchers, and employers across the country.

The Bloc’s Ten Demands for the Trucking Industry

1. Launch an official federal investigation into driver exploitation within the trucking industry, under Section 3.1 of the Motor Vehicle Transport Act.

2. Eliminate the right of temporary foreign workers to operate as incorporated drivers, restricting them to employee status only, and launch an awareness campaign on workers’ rights.

3. Establish an automatic joint audit between Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for newly created trucking companies with no trucks or employees, within 18 months of incorporation. Offending businesses would be flagged to provincial authorities such as Revenu Québec, SAAQ, and Transport Québec.

4. Hold contractors accountable for unpaid taxes and social contributions owed by their transport subcontractors.

5. Create a shared database compiling infractions, safety ratings, and unpaid fines in the trucking sector, accessible to enforcement officers nationwide.

6. Develop a Canada-wide insurance registry, accessible to police, roadside inspectors, and towing operators.

7. Establish a public registry of offending companies, which would:

• Disqualify non-compliant or fraudulent carriers from bidding on government or Crown corporation contracts (e.g., Canada Post, Department of Defence).

• Revoke safety fitness certificates for companies found to exploit drivers.

• Ban abusive companies from hiring Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs).

8. Introduce a certification program for employers eligible to use TFWs in the trucking sector.

9. Amend the Hours of Service Regulations to authorize roadside inspectors to place a vehicle out of service when the driver’s license information does not match the electronic logging device (ELD) records.

10. Require T4A slips to be issued for all trucking companies operating without employees.

A Defining Moment for Canada’s Trucking Industry

The Bloc’s proposals reflect growing frustration across the industry. Associations such as the Quebec Trucking Association (ACQ) and the Fraternity of Road Inspectors of Quebec (FCCRQ) have long warned that dishonest players are undermining compliant carriers, harming public safety, and eroding confidence in the profession.

As Ottawa faces mounting pressure, the coming months could mark a turning point for Canadian trucking — one that determines whether fairness, safety, and accountability will once again drive the industry forward.