As of March 2020, there is an acute shortage of 20,500 drivers and immediate action is required to address adverse impacts on Canada’s economy

• In recent years, the trucking and logistics sector employed 3.6% of Canada’s workforce, which translates into over 650,000 workers.
• While truck drivers represent 46% of the industry, they account for 63% of its job vacancies.
• The total number of truck driver vacancies in Canada has increased over 138% between 2016 and the first three quarters of 2019 – escalating from 8,600 to 20,500 during this timeframe.
• Hiring is taking longer than anticipated by HR professionals, who are being bogged down with increased recruitment pressures and frustrations, and by more complex compliance issues.
• The driver shortage has directly led to delayed planned expansions by trucking operators, and resulted in lost sales in the truck transportation industry by an estimated 4.7% in 2018, equivalent to roughly $3.1 billion in lost revenues.
• Without meaningful action, vacancies are expected to soar to 25,000 by 2023, an increase of over 25% from 2019.

The impacts of Canada’s critical driver shortage on the economy

The trucking sector:
• Carries an estimated $550 billion worth of goods purchased by Canadians and more than $300 billion worth of Canadian goods destined to export markets.
• Generates well-paying middle-class jobs, employing more than 650,000 workers.
• Connects consumers, businesses and international markets that are vital to our economy’s stability and performance.
• Is integral to Canada‘s nine other critical infrastructure sectors: energy and utilities, information and communication technology, finance, health, food, water, safety, government, and manufacturing.
• Is a key element in our nation’s intermodal transportation network that links trucking, rail and shipping, and provides an essential contingency during disruptions in other transportation modes (i.e. rail).
• The driver shortage has directly led to delayed planned expansions by trucking operators, and resulted in lost sales in the truck transportation industry by an estimated 4.7% in 2018, equivalent to roughly $3.1 billion in lost revenues.
• Key factors behind the current labour shortage issues include an aging workforce, misperceptions among women and youth, and a high rate of voluntary turnover. While 63% of prospective new hires have a high school degree or less, many are not entering the trucking industry due to the perception that training costs and time are prohibitive.
• Millennial research illustrates that 12% of millennials (approximately 1.1 million Canadians aged 18 to 36) would consider a career in long-haul trucking. But only 50% of trucking industry employers have formal plans to recruit millennials. Of these 1.1 million young people, indigenous millennials represent 187,000 (or 17%) who would consider long haul trucking, while women generally are not considering driving as a career choice.