June 23, 2008

Roadbuilding

Western provinces look to harmonize changes to hours-of-service regulations

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

Four Western Canadian provinces will try and come together to harmonize changes to hours-of-service regulations between their respective roadbuilding sectors.

British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will meet this month to discuss the idea of harmonizing favourable changes to provincial regulations setting limits on how long drivers in their industry can work.

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has been working with the Western Canada Roadbuilders to make the meeting happen.

“Clearly, the more provincial-level support and action we can receive, the easier it will be to convince Transport Canada to make the changes to the federal regulations,” reported Jeff Morrison, director of government relations and public affairs, CCA.

In early 2008, provincial governments agreed to a process where industry groups could apply for an exemption from federal hours of service regulations, said Morrison.

These groups needed to demonstrate such an exemption was in the public interest and would not endanger safety.

In response, the CCA prepared a statement on behalf of the industry, which several provincial roadbuilder associations used to apply for exemptions of their own jurisdiction.

In late April, Transport Canada finally released its federal exemption process and it too requires industries to show that an exemption would not endanger public safety and would be in the public interest.

Morrison reported to CCA’s board of directors recently that although the federal government has been reluctant to make any changes, it stated that if a majority of provinces approach it asking for a particular change, it would be difficult for Transport Canada to ignore those requests.

The issues the CCA has with new regulations introduced in 2007 are that they:

• Cut into allowable work time which cuts into roadbuilding’s already shortened seasonal work season.

• Reduce a driver’s flexibility to transport people, such as repair and support services when needed.

• Are an added impediment at a time when there is a shortage of drivers.

Provincial industry groups and individual companies have stated they would implement fatigue-management plans for all drivers as a reasonable alternative to regulatory controls. CCA developed a fatigue management guide in 2005.

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