Ontario’s Auditor General has highlighted the lack of drug and alcohol testing for commercial truck drivers. The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) continues to push the federal government for a mandatory drug and alcohol testing program for workers in safety sensitive positions like trucking.
CTA supports mandatory testing for truck drivers as a measure that needs to be adopted by all provinces. The Alliance would encourage all provinces to work with the Government of Canada to introduce mandatory drug and alcohol testing for both federally and provincially regulated trucking companies. Provincial policies related to drug and alcohol testing would only have authority on trucking fleets that do not leave provincial boundaries; leaving those fleets who conduct business out of the province not covered by this important safety policy.
“CTA applauds the Ontario Auditor General report for highlighting the safety benefit of requiring drug and alcohol testing for commercial truck drivers,” says Scott Smith, chair of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. “We appreciate and support the work to date on this matter by Transport Canada and hope to see the Government of Canada support this important road safety policy in 2020.” In the Annual Report, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk reviewed some concerns and potential improvements related to commercial vehicle safety and enforcement in the province, highlighting the lack of drug and alcohol testing as a potential issue related to road safety and truck collisions:
“In Ontario, commercial vehicle drivers are not subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing either before or during their employment. In addition, Ontario drivers who hold a prescription for medical marijuana may operate a commercial vehicle with marijuana present in their system as long as they are not legally impaired, unlike those who use it recreationally,” she stated.
