The Government of British Columbia has introduced legislation today to bring labour stability to the container trucking industry serving Port Metro Vancouver.

The introduction of this legislation is a key action being taken by the Province following the release of a report with recommendations submitted by veteran mediator Vince Ready and Corinn Bell, after several months’ worth of consultation with the federal and provincial governments, the port and the trucking sector.

The legislation will:

• Bring into force rate regulation for the marine container trucking companies serving the port.
• Establish a new, independent container trucking commissioner, who will assume responsibility for all Truck Licencing System licenses in place following planned licence reforms by Port Metro Vancouver, and will administer future truck licences.

The commissioner will be directed to establish and consult with an Industry Advisory Committee, to support the intended mandate of ensuring long term stability and efficiency in the sector.

With these actions, the Province is supporting Port Metro Vancouver’s goal of maintaining its place as a world leader in supply chain competitiveness and reliability, and as a major economic contributor to the provincial and national economies. This legislation will provide the tools necessary to stabilize the port container trucking sector with higher levels of accountability for companies and a consistent working environment for truckers, helping sustain the Vancouver gateway as a reliable and competitive place to do business.

This legislation is being introduced now to enable a new container trucking commissioner to be in place once Port Metro Vancouver completes its planned reform of the Truck Licensing System. Those reforms will result in a needed reset of the sector to establish a modern and efficient drayage fleet in greater balance with the demands of its customers.

Quote:

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone -

Port Metro Vancouver is Canada’s largest port and one of the busiest in North America, and it is vital that operations continue to keep British Columbians working, our economy running and goods moving across the country. We are confident this legislation will establish fair working conditions in this sector as well as allow Port Metro Vancouver to increase its efficiency and reliability as a world-class port.”

Learn more:

Follow the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure online at: http://tranbc.ca

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241

BACKGROUNDER

B.C. acts to bring labour peace to container trucking industry

Today, the Province will introduce legislation that will help create a new, more efficient model for the B.C. container trucking sector that serves Port Metro Vancouver (PMV). This legislation, in concert with a reform of the Truck Licencing System, underway by Port Metro Vancouver and the Government of Canada, will improve the conditions under which the truckers work and increase the economic viability of the port. Assistance will be available through the federal government to help the trucking sector through the transition to the new licensing system.

These critical actions are designed to bring labour stability to the port following a labour dispute in early 2014. In March, the governments of BC and Canada, together with Port Metro Vancouver, Unifor (union) and the United Truckers’ Association (non-union) signed an Action Plan that outlined actions intended to stabilize container trucking operations and commissioned Vince Ready and Corrin Bell to provide recommendations on the Action Plan.

Most of the recommendations in the Action Plan have been implemented. The Ready/Bell report released Oct. 15, 2014, based on seven months’ of consultation and input from stakeholders, including truck drivers, unions and trucking companies, provided recommendations related to the Action Plan to bring greater stability to the Port. Action being taken by both levels of government, including the Province introducing legislation, stem from these recommendations.

Background:

The conditions which underpin the drayage industry are complex:

• Port Metro Vancouver is a federal port under the Canada Marine Act.
• Federal regulation is restricted to “on-dock” (a segment of port property) container moves by non-union owner-operators.
• “Off dock” (off port property) moves are not regulated and are typically remunerated at lower rates than provided for in the Action Plan.
• Too many trucks are competing for too few container moves. A right-sizing of the industry is needed to ensure sector viability.
• There is a lack of a consistent rate structure and inequality in rate of pay.

Solution:

This legislation will create a trucking commissioner and establish in regulation the ability for the trucking Commissioner to oversee five key drayage industry activities in the Lower Mainland:

• Rates, wait time charges and fuel surcharges.
• On-dock and off-dock truck licensing.
• Ongoing oversight of the Whistleblower line.
• Enhanced auditing and enforcement.

Industry Advisory Committee:

The container trucking commissioner will be directed to establish an Industry Advisory Committee to:

• Provide a forum to facilitate co-operation amongst stakeholders in the drayage sector.
• Advise the commissioner on all matters relating to best practices in the drayage sector, including rates and remuneration issues and the development of contractual frameworks between trucking companies and terminal operators.
• Provide advice and recommendations to the commissioner with respect to the drayage sector generally or on any related matter.

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241