Ontario introduces program to attract women to trucking industry

The Ontario government is funding a new program designed to attract women and under-represented groups into the trucking industry, reports The Star.

On the morning of June 27, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the funding announcement at a GFL Environmental facility in Ayr, Ontario, outlining the training program that will be led by the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada.

The province plans to spend $1.3 million on the new program, which provides 54 women with up to 200 hours of training to help them obtain AZ (tractor-trailer) and DZ (straight truck) licenses.

Only two percent of Ontario truck drivers are women. The province estimates that at least 6,100 more truck drivers are needed to fill all outstanding job vacancies.

Through the training, eligible candidates will learn how to operate a commercial vehicle, perform maneuvers, conduct inspections, maintain the vehicles and understand commercial vehicle systems and controls.

“Our truckers are just so important to every sector and every industry in our province,” Ford said. “Whether it is getting materials to construction sites or goods to stores, truck driver[s] play a critical role in keeping our economy moving.”

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Providing easier pathways for women to enter the profession will play an important role in filling the vacancies, said Shelley Walker, CEO of the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada, at the June 27 news conference.

As reported by The Star, truck drivers make about $26 per hour in Ontario.

“With a significant and growing skilled driver shortage facing Ontario’s trucking industry, this initiative is timely in both removing barriers to employment and supporting Ontario’s economy,” Walker said.

The new program will reimburse up to $4,500 for child care and other living expenses. Instructors will use both virtual reality systems and hands-on training. Training also will be available for forklift operation, defensive driving, workplace violence and harassment, as well as human trafficking awareness.

The first cohort of in-person training began July 1 in Kitchener-Waterloo, the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa and London. After completing the program, the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada will work with graduates to help them find work.