The federal government is committing $500,000 to programs designed to boost diversity in the trucking industry, a move that comes as safety concerns, training standards and high unemployment remain under scrutiny across Canada.

The funding, announced Friday Sept. 12, during National Trucking Week by Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu, will go to Trucking HR Canada through Ottawa’s Workplace Opportunities: Removing Barriers to Equity (WORBE) program. The WORBE program provides $3 million annually to support projects that increase representation of designated groups in sectors with low participation. Officials say the investment is intended to expand opportunities for underrepresented groups in trucking.

Transport Canada data highlights the continued safety risks associated with commercial vehicles. In 2021, police recorded more than 36,000 collisions involving large trucks and other commercial vehicles. That year, 307 fatal collisions were reported, resulting in 343 deaths. Although commercial vehicles accounted for about eight per cent of all crashes, they represented roughly one in five fatalities on Canadian roads.

Recent collisions in Alberta have underscored the toll these crashes can take. On Sept. 17, a Dodge Ram collided with a semi on Highway 9 near Kathryn, killing a 36-year-old woman from Hanna and an 18-month-old passenger, while two other children were hospitalized. In July, a 17-year-old driver from Mundare was declared dead after her pickup collided with a semi on Highway 16. In June, a man was struck and killed by a semi on Whitemud Drive in Edmonton after exiting his vehicle. In August, a fiery crash at Highway 1 and Wheatland Trail east of Calgary killed a motorist and shut down the Trans-Canada Highway for hours. Other fatal and serious incidents have involved gravel trucks and tractor-trailer rollovers, including a Parkland County collision that left a 21-year-old woman dead.

The mix of workforce recruitment initiatives, high fatality rates linked to commercial vehicles and evidence of dishonest licensing practices has sparked calls for closer oversight of training schools and stricter enforcement of provincial standards.

Video coverage from CBC News/Marketplace, first broadcast in October 2024, examines dishonest licensing practices and regulatory gaps in the trucking industry. Readers can view the report here.

While the overall fatality rate per 10,000 registered commercial vehicles has declined over the past decade, dropping from 3.8 in 2012 to 2.6 in 2021, enforcement agencies have increasingly uncovered gaps in training and certification. Provincial regulators, particularly in Ontario, have suspended licences and ordered retesting after uncovering fraudulent practices at certain schools. Officials have described the actions as necessary to protect road users from improperly trained drivers.

The push to recruit underrepresented groups into trucking through programs like WORBE comes amid concerns over driver training, certification, and high unemployment among Canadians. 

Critics argue that expanding the workforce without fully addressing gaps in licensing oversight and school audits could put road users at risk, and that the WORBE program excludes Canadians seeking stable employment. Supporters say the funding is necessary to address labour shortages and create opportunities for marginalized groups. The tension between workforce expansion and public safety is shaping the debate over how Canada should manage its growing reliance on the trucking industry.

Recent Fatal Semi-Truck Collisions in Alberta (2025)

Sept. 17 — Highway 9 near Kathryn

A northbound Dodge Ram pickup collided with a southbound semi-truck. The crash resulted in a fire, killing a 36-year-old woman from Hanna and an 18-month-old passenger. Two other children were hospitalized. 

Aug. 18 — Highway 1 and Wheatland Trail, Strathmore

A semi-truck and an SUV collided, causing the semi to catch fire. The 24-year-old driver of the semi, a resident of Brampton, Ontario, was trapped and died at the scene. A passenger in the semi was able to escape uninjured. The driver of the SUV was not injured. 

Aug. 26 — Highway 564 and Highway 9, Rocky View County

A 28-year-old man from Beiseker died after his pickup truck collided with a semi-truck. The driver of the semi was not injured.

July 23 — Highway 16 and Highway 855, Vegreville

A 17-year-old female driver from Mundare was killed when her pickup collided with a semi-truck. The driver of the semi sustained minor injuries. 

June 17 — Whitemud Drive, Edmonton

A man who had exited his vehicle was struck and killed by a semi-truck. The man’s van, which contained a child, was also struck in the incident. 

August 5  — Highway 16, Parkland County

A 21-year-old woman from Drayton Valley died after her vehicle collided with a gravel truck. The gravel truck was making a left turn across the highway when the crash occurred. 

These incidents highlight the ongoing safety concerns and the human cost associated with collisions involving semi-trucks in Alberta. 

They underscore the need for enhanced training, stricter enforcement of regulations, and comprehensive safety measures within the trucking industry.