Canada is investing up to $46.3 million to support the recruitment, training and onboarding of truck drivers and other occupations related to trucking industry.
Omar Alghabra, Canada’s transport minister announced that the federal government is making the investment to Trucking Human Resources Canada under the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program.
The Trucking HR Canada’s Driving Economic Recovery project is an innovative solution that supports skills development and job employment readiness for truckers to fill good, middle-class jobs across the country
The organization’s Driving Economic Recovery project will provide training subsidies and wage subsidies to support the recruitment, training and onboarding of up to 1,400 new truck drivers and 1,200 workers for other in-demand occupations within the trucking sector.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance forecasts that the trucking industry will have a shortage of 55,000 workers at the end of 2023.
“Without truckers, groceries wouldn’t make it to the shelves of our local supermarkets and builders wouldn’t get the supplies they need. We’re investing in Trucking HR to make sure the industry can support truckers and the workers who help them by equipping them with the training and skills they need to meet the demand we know is there,” said Carla Qualtrough, employement minister.
This project will address inconsistencies in driver training by developing a national standard that will support transferable skills and bridge the gap between entry-level training and employability throughout Canada.
Up to 2,600 participants—with an emphasis on women and other equity-deserving groups—will receive training, on-the-job work experience and other wraparound supports, such as travel and living expenses, to prepare them for a career in the trucking sector.
