On International Human Trafficking Day, we shine a light on one of Canada’s most hidden crimes labour trafficking within our trucking sector. Drivers from around the world arrive promising to work hard and build a future, only to find themselves trapped in debt bondage, unpaid overtime, and threats of deportation if they speak up.
The Scope of the Problem
In Manitoba, trucking employers hired 1,467 temporary foreign workers in 2023 a surge of nearly 1,300 percent from five years earlier while training and reporting measures for these vulnerable employees remain critically lacking.
A United Nations Human Rights Council report highlights how Canada’s LMIA process can be exploited by recruiters, training schools, temp agencies, and carriers working in concert. Drivers often incur debts of $40,000–$80,000 in recruitment fees and then endure sub-legal wages and withheld pay to service that debt.
How You Can Help
– Educate your drivers and dispatchers on the red flags: isolation from peers, withheld passports or work documents, unexplained debt and contract changes, and threats of deportation.
– Partner with organizations like Know Human Trafficking, Crime Stoppers and local law enforcement to install posters and helpline information at terminals, rest stops, and training schools.
– Encourage all drivers and dispatchers to complete free training through Know Human Trafficking to recognize and respond to labour trafficking indicators.
– Advocate for stricter enforcement of labour standards by urging provincial authorities to suspend carriers found guilty of wage theft, worker misclassification, or trafficking offences.
Together, we can ensure every individual on Canada’s roads works under fair conditions with dignity, legal protections, and the freedom they deserve.
Top 5 Signs of Labour Trafficking in the Trucking Industry in Canada
1. Confiscation or withholding of identification documents
Victims are often forced to hand over passports, driver’s licences or work permits, with employers claiming they “need” them for processing or to ensure compliance. This tactic leaves workers without proof of legal status and makes it nearly impossible to leave or seek help.
2. Excessive recruitment fees or deceptive job offers
Labour traffickers advertise trucking jobs that promise high pay, then require migrants to pay thousands sometimes tens of thousands of dollars in recruitment or “head tax” fees. Such offers turn out to be bait-and-switch schemes, leaving workers indebted and trapped in exploitative contracts.
3. Threats of deportation, retaliation or reporting to authorities
Employers exploit the precarious immigration status of temporary foreign workers by threatening to report them to immigration or police if they complain, attempt to leave or demand fair treatment. Fear of losing their right to remain in Canada silences many victims.
4. Wage theft, withheld pay or unpaid overtime
Common tactics include withholding paychecks, underpaying hourly rates, refusing overtime compensation and imposing arbitrary fines for minor infractions. Workers discover they’re earning far less than agreed, but risk reprisal if they challenge the abuse.
5. Unreasonable work hours, unsafe conditions and isolation
Trafficked drivers often endure excessive hours behind the wheel without mandated breaks, live in company-controlled accommodations with poor hygiene or safety standards, and have little to no contact with the outside world. These conditions endanger both their physical health and legal well-being.
Ontario’s roads have claimed too many lives this summer. Across the province, a recent two-week surge of deadly collisions, motorcycle tragedies, head-on crashes on our busiest highways, and at-fault truck incidents paints a grim and urgent picture.
You never know whose life you’ll change with a single glance. Last summer, paramedic Alisha raced against the clock to save a motorcyclist pinned beneath a pickup truck. She arrived to find him conscious but slipping fast every second mattered. Stories like this unfold on our highways daily, reminding us that speed, distraction, or one missed look can shatter families in an instant.
It’s time for a new kind of road pact one where each of us pledges to act before the crash happens. When you commit to that extra “second look,” you’re more than a driver; you’re someone’s guardian angel.
Fatalities by the Numbers
In 2023, Ontario recorded 812 road-user fatalities, a 6 % rise over 2022.
Pedestrians accounted for 35 % of those losses.
Bicyclists and motorcyclists made up 18 %.
Impaired-driving collisions rose by 4 %.
Speed-related crashes climbed by 7 %.
What’s Driving the Carnage?
Speeding and aggressive driving
Impairment from alcohol, cannabis, or prescription drugs
When these factors converge, the outcomes are catastrophic.
Two-Week Surge: July 11–24, 2025
July 16: Head-on collision on Highway 7 near Pickering 3 killed, 2 critically injured
July 11–19: Five separate motorcycle crashes across Kawartha Lakes, Thunder Bay, Niagara, London, and Leamington multiple fatalities and critical airlifts
OPP officer struck by a fleeing vehicle during an impaired driving stop
Deadly collisions on rural backroads and 400-series routes alike
Take the Pledge
Share this pledge with family, friends, and colleagues. Use #DriveLikeTheyMatter
Before every trip, I will:
Obey posted speed limits
Designate a sober driver or choose alternate transportation
Stow my phone until I’m parked
Give large trucks ample space
Always take a second look for motorcycles and pedestrians
Check blind spots and intersections before turning
I’m asking you to see these roads not as endless asphalt, but as mirrors of our choices every time we drive. When we pair sobering statistics with real stories and commit to simple, lifesaving actions we can stop these heartbreaking losses. Please share this message: someone’s life may depend on it.
For the past 20 years, Brian Patterson has been a steadfast advocate for road safety in Ontario. His dedication to reducing preventable deaths, injuries, and destruction on our roads through public education and safety awareness has made a significant impact. Brian’s strong advocacy with various governments and leaders has led to positive changes that benefit all Ontarians.
Many of us know Brian from his appearances on news, radio, and safety commercials. Who can forget Elmer the Safety Elephant, beloved by children? Today, the Ontario Safety League is recognized as one of North America’s leading traffic safety organizations, providing the general public with safety information and programs. The Ontario Safety League is a registered not-for-profit charity. Learn more about them at ontariosafetyleague.com
Last night, we had the honor of attending Brian’s retirement celebration. It was an amazing evening of sharing memories of a remarkable man and his many contributions to society. Brian, we will miss your strong voice. Over the years, his family so selflessly shared more of his time with his work and not them. Behind every successful man is an incredible woman. Lesley, thank you! Happy retirement, Brian, and good luck with that honey-do list.
We are looking to Add another AZ Trainer to the Smiths Falls Team!
A bit about us: Being in business for over 20 years, Crossroads Truck and Career Academy is the most recognized AZ / DZ truck training facility in the Ottawa, Smiths Falls region. We are known for producing the best entry level drivers in the industry and are currently seeking professional driver trainers, who would like to pass on their years of knowledge to others.
Position: You will use your expertise and knowledge, while following our training program, to prepare our students with the skills and knowledge to successfully challenge the MTO road test.
Requirements: • 10 years current AZ driving experience, less will be considered dependent on annual mileage, however no less than 5 years will be eligible.
• Acceptable driving record and CVOR. Work well in a team environment. Superior communication skills, (bilingual an asset) Location: Smiths Falls campus, however at times travel may be required to our Ottawa campus.
If you are looking for a truly rewarding career, please forward your resume or contact our Assistant Director of Operations: Rock Chenier at 613-742-7499 extension 204 or Director of Operations: Ken Adams at 613-742-7499 extension 205.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. All employment is decided based on qualifications and merit.
The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) has worked in collaboration with Transport Canada, (TC) the CCMTA as well as the Provinces & Territories (PT’s) for more than 10 years, to shape an electronic logging device mandate that will improve health and safety for the general public, as well as improve compliance with the regulations, and thus level the playing field and improve conditions for the entire Canadian Trucking Industry. Working together, we learned from the mistakes made in the US, and introduced an independent 3rd party certification process, to ensure ELD’s that are approved, go through a rigorous process to ensure they are compliant with the regulations.
In March of 2021 CCMTA, TC and the Provinces and Territories all agreed to delay full enforcement of the Federal ELD regulation until June 12th of 2022. This change had to be made, in part, as there were no certified devices that existed at the time. While we all hoped the delay in full enforcement would allow enough time for a fulsome list of devices to be approved, as well as solve other compliance and enforcement related issues, the fact is we still have many items to address. For these reasons, the PMTC was pleased to hear of a further delay in enforcement until January 1, 2023. We believe this was a prudent and responsible decision to allow enough time for issues to be rectified and provide a smoother roll out of full enforcement.
Saturation of approved devices
As of writing this on March 15th, we have 25 certified ELD’s on the marketplace, from 14 different suppliers. While still more will be needed to provide a good saturation and options for carriers to select from, we believe the extra time provided allows ELD providers with enough time to get their devices submitted for approval in advance of the new date and allow carriers to select from a fulsome list and transition to ensure compliance by January of 2023. The PMTC would not be in favour of any further delays in enforcement as a result of a lack of devices. We believe, with this most recent delay in full enforcement, enough time has now been provided for suppliers & industry.
Items that need addressed prior to January 1, 2023
As we understand it currently, a total of 8 Provinces and Territories have regulations in place or will have them in place in time to enforce the federal regulation on January 1st of 2023. As National uniformity in enforcement is important, we believe the remaining jurisdictions need to take the steps necessary to ensure they can enforce the mandate by January 1st as well. While we believe uniformity is important, regardless of the readiness of the remaining jurisdictions, we believe we must move forward with enforcement for those that are ready by January of 2023 with no further delays.
To ensure a driver’s Records of Duty Status (RODS) is securely transmitted over the air from the truck to law enforcement, a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) infrastructure is required. We have learned that TC just recently selected a vendor to develop and implement a system that allows an encrypted ELD Output File transferred securely from truck to the officer, as required by the Technical Standards (TS), to decrypt the message and allow the content to be viewed. The vendor now must ensure the system is in place in a timely fashion to ensure the system is functional & understood well in advance of the new full enforcement date.
We have heard from concerned parties that analyzing RODS at roadside to verify HOS compliance is going to be very challenging. The ELD Output File is required to provide a driver’s RODS in two standard file formats, PDF and CSV. Currently Canada does not have a method like the United States’ ERODS system for translating the CSV file to a format usable by enforcement. Therefore, to verify 15 days of RODS, enforcement is currently limited to reviewing the PDF, which can be 50 pages or more in length. In addition, certain ELD event codes such as Event Record of Origin and Event Record Status, are not explained in words, but remain in code format otherwise found only in the TS. This means enforcement officers need to understand the meaning of codes wherever such code appears in the PDF. There is a significant concern if RODS verification is too time consuming and difficult to understand, enforcement may simply look at the graph grid on the display and make assumptions regarding a driver’s HOS compliance without looking at event details. We need to ensure these issues are rectified, and significant enforcement training of the items in the TS displayed on the device and in the PDF occurs well in advance of full enforcement taking hold. The main purpose of mandating the use of ELDs is to ensure easier and more accurate verification of HOS compliance leading to a reduction in the instances of operating a commercial motor vehicle while fatigued. We need to ensure the proper tools are in place to ensure this is what occurs.
We need to ensure ELD violations are applied onto a carrier’s Provincial safety rating no matter which jurisdiction they are based out of or charged in. As we understand it, currently no such system is in place with ELD violations to ensure this occurs.
Ontario has a robust exemption for Drive-away tow away operators, which are also exempt in the US Federal regulations. Quebec is also indicating they may exempt this. PMTC has learned through discussions with regulators and drive-away tow away operators that it appears the remaining provinces and territories will not exempt this, which will lead to massive confusion and harm to this industry. Can Transport Canada adopt this exemption in the federal regulations, or address it in another manner to ensure we have uniformity across jurisdictions?
The PMTC and its members are appreciative of the common-sense approach to this delay in full enforcement. We know significant pressure existed to move forward with the June 12th enforcement date, however we are in full support of the delay and believe it was the only decision that could be made to ensure a smooth rollout. At the same time, we need to ensure this extra time is not wasted, and work needs to begin immediately to remedy the issues raised above to ensure we have everything in place required to ensure we are prepared for full enforcement well in advance of what we hope is the final delay in enforcement that will be required.
Mike Millian President Private Motor Truck Council of Canada
Established in 1977, the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) is the only Canadian association dedicated to the interests of private fleet operators. The PMTC provides forums for fleet operators and industry stakeholders to exchange views and resolve issues together, and is at the forefront in representing your views to government, protecting your rights, and promoting your interests. Want to learn more about the PMTC , visit their website https://www.pmtc.ca/
