Thousands of truckers in Quebec Congestion on the road network
2 p.m. – Truckers arrive in Quebec!
More than 2,000 craftsmen craftsmen, members of the National Association of Craftsman truckers inc. (Ancai), head for the National Assembly, where they plan to demonstrate this Wednesday, May 14. This massive mobilization follows the annual congress of the organization held in Chicoutimi from May 8 to 10.
The truckers protest against the gradual dismantling of the regulatory framework established in 2000 by the government of Quebec to supervise bulk trucking in public procurement.
The demonstration will have major repercussions on traffic in Quebec. Major disturbances are to be expected in the city center, particularly around the parliamentary hill, where trucks are expected in large numbers.
Motorists are invited to avoid the sector.
Press release from the National Association of Craftsman Trucks inc. (Ancai)
Since 2000, the Quebec government has regulated loose trucking in public procurement with the following admitted objectives:
- Promote local economic benefits;
- Maintaining a security fleet and the presence of trucks available throughout the territory;
- Ensure control of bulk transport costs in public procurement
The truckers members of the ANCAI are subject to the jurisdiction of the Quebec Transport Commission and to the application of its disciplinary regime which prevents collusion, corruption, false billing, money laundering and tax evasion.
However, despite the repeated interventions of the ANCAI, the government goes around its own regulations and thus opens the door to economically regulated bulk transport. So :
- In 2012 The Government of Quebec decides to liberalize the 50% of bulk transport that the entrepreneur cannot carry out with his own trucks and which he had to offer organizations holding a brokerage permit;
- In 2018 The government does not intervene to defend its regulation by not contesting judgments of the higher courts, which authorize for-profit companies not holding a permit to offer to entrepreneurs of non-regisate truckers economically for their needs for loose trucking in public procurement. These companies have no accounts to be rendered to the Quebec Transport Commission;
- In 2024, The Quebec infrastructure company (SQI), after having done it for 15 years, decides unilaterally and without prior consultations to withdraw from its contracts the obligation to use local truckers, therefore to advantage local economic benefits.
Enough, it’s quite
Ancai truckers are tired of seeing the government go around its own regulations and thus advantages the embezzlement in bulk trucking.
However, the Charbonneau Commission has demonstrated that loose trucking is a suitable environment for collusion, corruption, false billing, tax evasion and money laundering, when not economically regulated.
In addition, as part of the study on bills 61 and 62, the president of the authority of public procurement, the deputy auditor of Quebec and Mrs. Martine Valoisspecialist in public procurement and member of the monitoring committee for the application of the recommendations of the Charbonneau Commission, warned the government against the return of conditions conducive to embezzlement and fraud.
The truckers therefore demonstrate to encourage Prime Minister François Legault to intervene so that his government modifies the laws and the regulations so as to enforce Quebec supervision on bulk truck in public procurement, as was established in 2000, et This, to the advantage of local economic benefits and integrity.
Consequently:
- The craftsmen craftsmen members of the ANCAI ask that the Quebec infrastructure company applies now the supervision on brokerage in loose truck services in its calls for tenders and contracts, as it did from 2009 to 2024;
- The truckers request that only holders of a permit issued by the Quebec Transport Committee will be authorized to offer loose truck services in public procurement;
- The truckers ask that the supervision on brokerage in loose trucking services applies in all public procurement.
- It is important to note that the changes requested by the craftsmen do not cause any additional expenditure to the government.
