Canada is moving ahead with a vaccine mandate for truckers, a requirement that some say will drive up prices of certain imports from the U.S.
What’s happening: Despite pushback from drivers and industry groups, truckers entering Canada will have to quarantine if they aren’t fully vaccinated starting next Saturday.
- While over 80% of Canadians have both jabs, that number ranges from 50-100% among workers at trucking companies. Canadian Trucking Alliance’s Stephen Laskowski said drivers spend most of their time alone in trucks, so their risk of spreading COVID is low anway.
- Canada’s trucking industry is already short 18,000 drivers. The trucking industry says the mandate could prompt up to 22,000, or up to 20% of truckers, to leave their jobs.
Private Motor Truck Council of Canada President Mike Millian asked the feds to give truckers the option of testing several times per day as an alternative, but PM Justin Trudeau doesn’t seem to be budging.
Why it matters: Around $650 billion in trade flows between the U.S. and Canada every year, and 70% of that moves via trucks. Groups representing truckers worry that the mandate will interrupt this trade, worsen existing supply chain problems and delay the delivery of essential goods, from construction materials to healthcare supplies.
What does this mean for you? Desjardins Group’s chief economist said a lack of truckers will reduce availability of those essentials, and could drive up food prices, which already jumped 4.7% in November from 2020.
