Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and committee members, for having the Canadian Trucking Alliance here today.
Briefly, about the alliance, we have about 5,000 members. The way the alliance works is that the seven major provincial trucking associations form one board and send delegates—very much like the House of Commons—to our board, and we vote and make policy. What I'm about to present to you today is one such policy.
In February, the Canadian Trucking Alliance submitted a proposal to the Government of Canada through a regulatory review of the supply chain task force with regard to issues that can improve both international and domestic trade. I think, though, that we need to understand, too, that a lot of domestic—quote, unquote—moves are generated from international moves and moves out of ports and railheads and from other customers when they come up from the United States.
Here's the laundry list. There's a lot here. I won't be able to give you much background in five minutes, but I'm happy to take questions.
Number one, allow and invest in CBSA to have more sufferance warehouses in Canada. What this means is that we'd be allowed as an industry to clear Customs inland, as opposed to the border points, and also—very topical right now—from railheads and marine heads to move inland from CBSA in potential strikes.
With regard to in-transit moves, we will all recall the environmental disaster in British Columbia when we had the landslides and the roads closed. Well, the only way that a lot of the goods moved was in what's called an “in-transit move”, where domestic trucks move through the United States back into Canada, like to Toronto or Vancouver. Canada allows such in-transit moves through Canada for the United States, but the United States does not allow Canada to move in transit, which would allow what needs to be done. There is some political pressure that needs to be put on Washington, but also an investment from CBSA into some electronic investments.
With regard to other issues, one is reporting time frames at the border. Right now, the auto sector and trucks are required to report 60 minutes before crossing the border. We'd like to shorten that to 30 minutes. It would greatly help the auto industry and the trucks that move it.
Another is more resources at the border for agriculture. Right now, the border is 24-7 except for food and agriculture inspections, which work on more what we call traditional banking hours—nine to five. That means trucks sit loaded with agricultural product over the weekend or after those hours. Again, when we're spending billions of dollars.... We applaud the Canadian government for investments like the Gordie Howe bridge. Such smaller investments would also greatly improve the border.
With regard to in Canada...next is working with the provinces and the federal government to align winter road maintenance standards. The reality, as we all know as consumers, as individuals, is that when it snows, we move slowly. So do trucks. When we don't have winter road standards that are aligned between the provinces, those trucks justifiably will sit. Nobody wants to put truck drivers in danger. If provinces align winter road standards, we can move our trucks more quickly and safely.
On rest areas for truck drivers, truck drivers are governed by hours of service. They move loads whether they're full or not. They need places to rest, to move the economy more safely. When we don't have those rest areas, they're looking for spots to park. When they don't find them, more hours are wasted in looking for safe spots—as the drivers should—as opposed to moving the economy.
Last, but definitely not least, are overweight and over dimensional standards. What that means, folks, is that when we have large pieces of equipment or machinery that moves between provinces that are doing goods and services or manufacturing processes and those standards aren't aligned, those trucks sit. For example, different provinces, believe it or not, have definitions for when evening sets or when the sun rises, and when those definitions aren't aligned, the truck sits until those definitions align.
As you can see, we have some significant investments to make, some major policies to make and then just some common-sense moves to make, where we can make our industry and our economy far more competitive.
Thanks, Mr. Chair.