The provincial government is being urged to reconsider an exemption that allows foreign workers in the agriculture sector to temporarily drive on their home country’s license for up to a year.
The Saskatchewan Trucking Association (STA) said while it understands the importance of facilitating labour needs in the agriculture industry, it is concerned about the potential safety implications of the exemption.
“Safety on our roads is paramount, and ensuring that all drivers, regardless of their origin, meet rigorous competency standards is essential for protecting lives and preventing accidents,” said president of the STA, Susan Ewart, in a news release.
Following the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, changes were made in 2021 prohibiting all non-residents, including foreign workers, from driving on out-of-country Class 1 licenses.
The minister responsible for SGI, Dustin Duncan, said the exemption doesn’t undo that work and if the exemption was to be made permanent, it would be done so through the legislative process which would allow feedback from the public.
“But we’re not at that point yet,” said Duncan. “Without the exemption, we would likely continue to see a severe shortage of qualified drivers, which obviously would have a negative impact on our ability to put in crops, get the crops off and move them to market,” he said.
The exemption will only apply to temporary foreign agriculture workers from 40 countries that have similar standards to SGI or exceed those standards.
“From my understanding, in Alberta and even British Columbia, it’s really open to anybody to be able to drive on their own license for up to a year from any country and we’re limiting it to just the 40 countries that we have reciprocal agreements with,” said Duncan.
Saskatchewan is also in competition for foreign workers with those other provinces. Duncan said it would take several weeks for a temporary foreign worker needing a Class 1 commercial license to complete the 120-hour mandatory entry-level-training, or MELT program that was implemented in 2019.
“By the time they get here and do the MELT training, harvest is likely already over,” he said.
The STA said the temporary nature of the exemption doesn’t alleviate concerns ‘as even a short-term compromise on safety standards can have long-lasting repercussions.’
“The safety of our roads and highways is non-negotiable,” said Ewart. “All drivers must demonstrate their ability to operate Class 1 vehicles safely through comprehensive testing and experience requirements.”
The STA encouraged the provincial government to reconsider the exemption and implement measures that prioritize safety without hindering the agricultural industry’s ability to access necessary labour.
Duncan said the government would evaluate the temporary exemption next May.
Click here to see more...