Vaccination requirement for truckers could affect fresh produce supply

Now in Canada, all truckers crossing the border must be fully vaccinated. This requirement will sideline 16% of the workforce and is likely to cause various disruptions.

 

All truckers crossing the Canadian border must be fully vaccinated. Canadian truckers who are not vaccinated will have to be quarantined (10 days) and unvaccinated or partially vaccinated foreign truckers arriving from the US will be returned to US territory.

 

The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the American Trucking Associations estimate that this new requirement will sideline about 16% of the workforce, or 26,000 of the 160,000 drivers who regularly cross the border. 

 

According to these associations, the transport sector is already experiencing a labour shortage and this vaccination requirement will mean 26,000 fewer truckers on the road. This will affect both importers and exporters, as well as the distribution of fresh produce, which Canada imports in large numbers in winter. 

 

 

The US is also expected to impose similar requirements on Canadian truckers in the coming days.

 

 

 

source : lapresse.ca, ici.radio-canada.ca