Petition Update – There Are Procurement-Safe Options
After carefully reviewing New Brunswick’s 2023 Standard Specifications (Section 932 – Private Trucks), it is clear that governments do have procurement-compliant tools available to protect independent truck owners.
New Brunswick’s contract language (specifically section 932) includes:
- A cap limiting contractor-owned or affiliated trucks to no more than 25% by weight of certain tendered materials.
- A requirement that the remaining 75% be hauled by private trucks.
- A structured call-out list, with hiring required in a fair and reasonable manner.
- Provisions preventing discrimination based on membership in any organization.
- Clear payment protections tied to set rates and enforceable timelines.
This structure does not guarantee hours to any individual operator, but it does create predictability, transparency, and fairness within procurement rules.
It limits how much work can remain within a contractor’s own fleet, reduces the risk of favoritism, and provides stability for local owner-operators and small businesses.
The key takeaway is this:
Governments are not powerless.
Procurement law and trade agreements do not prevent fairness protections from being written directly into contract documents. There are structured, procurement-safe models already in use.
Choosing not to implement similar protections, especially when the construction season is approaching, leaves independent operators exposed to uncertainty and financial instability.
This is not about entitlement.
It is about clear rules, accountability, and protecting livelihoods within the existing procurement framework.
We are asking for practical, procurement-compliant solutions that provide stability for the people who depend on this industry.
The government cannot continue to stand idle while livelihoods hang in the balance. There are options and they have a responsibility to act.New Brunswick’s 2023 Standard Specifications