Sask. Trucking Association opposes provincial program recognizing Class 1 licences of foreign drivers

The Saskatchewan Trucking Association (STA) is concerned about a new program that exempts temporary foreign workers with Class 1 licences from mandatory training before working in the agricultural sector.

The trucking organization says it’s worried the program puts economic demands ahead of safety.

As farming season kicks into high gear across Saskatchewan, so too does the demand for Class 1 drivers in the agriculture industry.

“We had been hearing for several months now from large agricultural producers that have formerly relied on temporary foreign workers as part of their farm operations on the truck driving side, that they’re really having a difficult time,” said Dustin Duncan, minister responsible for SGI.

Since 2019, Saskatchewan has been making changes to its out-of-province testing requirements for Class 1 commercial drivers, using reciprocal agreements with 40 countries that have similar requirements.

But other provinces like B.C. and Alberta still allow exemptions for all occupations, and from all countries.

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“That was really limiting the ability for producers in Saskatchewan to be able to make offers to temporary foreign workers,” said Duncan, who added that most drivers can skip the weeks of entry level testing and training by working in another province.

Effective May 24, 2024, the exemption allows temporary foreign workers from one of the 40 jurisdictions with reciprocal agreements with SGI, that are employed in the ag sector, to operate Class 1 vehicles in Saskatchewan for one full year — using their home jurisdiction’s Class 1 license.

The Saskatchewan Trucking Association says it understands the needs of farmers, especially during the busy seeding and harvest times — but they’re surprised there’s no minimum testing requirement.

“Certainly we support that, it’s just that piece about not checking to make sure they are competent to be able to drive 63,500 kilograms of a fully loaded truck and trailer on our roads,” said Susan Ewart, executive director of the Saskatchewan Trucking Association.

“We certainly support credential recognition. Maybe we should have had them get in the cab of a truck and do a road test and make sure they were competent to be able to drive,” said Ewart.

“Because you have to take into consideration, driving a truck in Saskatchewan might be different than driving in Europe, for example.”

The process to become a licensed Class 1 driver in Saskatchewan takes weeks, and can cost more than ten thousand dollars.

Ewart says it’s that testing that has made our roads safer.

She says the STA is supportive of the agriculture sector, as many of their members work there, too, but she says this feels like a step back.

“We just want to make sure that we are consistent on how we apply policy,” said Ewart.

Duncan says the program is temporary, and it will be revisited next May to see how it went.