Alberta’s Agriculture and Forestry Minister says the province will take another look at the stricter semi-trailer training requirements for farmers that were put in place following the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba introduced compulsory truck-driver training after the crash.
Devin Dreeshen said semi-trailer training was an issue farmers spoke up about during recent community consultations on repealing the NDP’s controversial agricultural legislation Bill 6.
“It was something that I heard loud and clear out on the road talking to farmers,” Dreeshen said.
He said Transportation Minister Ric McIver is looking into the issue.
“The rules have been punted back into the future so there is time to have an open consultation on it. That is something that (Ric McIver) is committed to doing, and something the government is looking at.”
Dreeshen said farmers are just hauling their own grain. They are not commercial truckers who are out on the road 200-plus days a year.
“(Farmers) are not going up and down Highway 2 every day. They’re hauling from their bins to the grain elevator. It’s a different world.”
He said farmers hear about their competitors in other jurisdictions who have different rules and Alberta farmers want to be on the same playing field.
“That’s something I’d obviously be in favour of.”
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Dreeshen’s department is now compiling information gathered from 25 community consultation sessions and is working with Alberta Labour and Immigration on data analysis, policy options and potential legislation.
About 1,200 online submissions were also received, and government is preparing a document summarizing key findings from the consultation that will be posted on alberta.ca.
The Farm Freedom and Safety Act is expected to be introduced during the fall session of the legislature.
With files from The Canadian Press
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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