To: The Government of Canada, Provincial Governments, and the Canadian Trucking Alliance

Subject: Demand for Fair Compensation and an End to Driver Exploitation

Background:

Truck drivers are the backbone of Canada’s economy. Every good that Canadians use — food, fuel, medicine, clothing, and building materials — reaches shelves through the hard work and sacrifices of truckers. Despite this critical role, Canadian truck drivers are being paid unfairly.

• Local truck drivers are earning only $20–$21 per hour, which is often less than warehouse workers, even though driving requires expensive licenses, training, and carries huge responsibility.

• Long-haul drivers are being paid $0.47–$0.50 per mile, a rate that is lower than wages in the 1990s, despite massive increases in inflation, fuel, and living costs.

• Many companies force drivers to work as “incorporated contractors”, avoiding payroll responsibilities such as overtime, benefits, and employment protections. This practice leaves drivers vulnerable, underpaid, and without workplace rights.

The Problem:

Truck driving is a high-risk, high-skill profession. Drivers spend long hours on the road, face extreme weather, ensure public safety, and move billions of dollars’ worth of goods.

Wages have not kept pace with inflation for decades, leaving drivers poorer today than their predecessors.
The “corporation category” exploitation strips drivers of protections like EI, CPP, WCB coverage, and overtime, creating unfair and unsafe working conditions.

Our Demands:

We, the undersigned, call upon the Canadian Government, provincial labour boards, and industry leaders to:

1. Raise the minimum pay for local truck drivers to at least $35–$40 per hour.
2. Increase mileage rates for long-haul drivers to $0.85–$1.00 per mile, reflecting inflation and fair compensation for time, risk, and skill.
3. Ban the use of incorporated/self-employed driver loopholes — all truck drivers must be on payroll as employees, with full access to EI, CPP, overtime pay, vacation pay, WCB, and other protections.
   Introduce automatic pay indexing to inflation, ensuring wages keep up with the rising cost of living.
   Enforce strict penalties on companies that exploit drivers or misclassify them to avoid payroll obligations.
4. Recognize trucking as a skilled trade/profession, granting drivers the respect and compensation they rightfully deserve.

Why This Matters:

Without truck drivers, Canada’s economy stops. Fair wages and proper protections will not only improve the lives of drivers and their families but also stabilize the industry, reduce labour shortages, and secure the nation’s supply chain.

We Demand Change.

It is time for Canadian truck drivers to be paid fairly and transparently on payroll, with dignity, respect, and protection under Canadian labour law.