Canada’s insurance industry is backing calls for a national commercial trucking database, arguing that stronger oversight of drivers and carriers would improve road safety, reduce fraud and help curb rising insurance claim costs.The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) announced its support after Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor urged Ottawa to create a national registry following a fatal collision near Brandon involving a trucking company that had previously lost its safety certification.The proposal would create a centralized database allowing provinces to track commercial trucking companies, drivers and vehicles across provincial boundaries, making it harder for unsafe operators to continue operating after losing certification in one jurisdiction.Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon recently signalled Ottawa is prepared to support the creation of a national certification database for trucking companies.Aaron Sutherland, IBC’s vice-president for Pacific and Western Canada, said the insurance industry has advocated for years for a national system that combines regulatory certification records with insurance and claims histories.“IBC has long advocated that a national database of claims history and regulatory certifications for commercial truckers would help improve road safety, combat fraud and support better informed insurance coverage and pricing across Canada’s trucking sector,” said Sutherland.He praised Manitoba’s push for greater national coordination and said current gaps in enforcement and driver qualification standards create safety risks on roads across the country.Under the proposal, regulators could more easily identify trucking companies with poor safety records, while insurers would gain access to information needed to verify claims histories and assess commercial insurance risks..The insurance bureau has also called for stronger and more consistent driver training standards nationwide, arguing that inadequate training contributes to collisions and higher insurance costs.The latest push comes amid a series of high-profile concerns involving the trucking industry in several provinces.In British Columbia, more than 34 collisions involving previously de-certified trucking operators have reportedly resulted in trucks striking highway overpasses.In Alberta, roadside inspections conducted by the Alberta Sheriff Highway Patrol and Calgary police found 92% of commercial vehicles inspected failed safety checks.Ontario authorities recently removed more than a dozen commercial vehicles from service during a Ministry of Transportation enforcement blitz. The province’s auditor general also reported that large commercial trucks accounted for 12% of vehicles involved in fatal collisions between 2019 and 2023 despite representing only 3% of vehicles on Ontario roads.The insurance industry argues that poorly trained or improperly qualified drivers not only create public safety risks but also contribute to growing financial pressures within the insurance system.A 2024 report by consulting firm MNP found collisions involving commercial trucks have resulted in increasingly large and costly insurance claims, adding pressure to insurance premiums and claims costs..Liam McGuinty, IBC vice-president of federal affairs, said governments at all levels need to work together to strengthen oversight while supporting legitimate trucking businesses that comply with safety regulations.“A safe, robust and strong commercial trucking sector is critical to the Canadian economy,” said McGuinty.The Insurance Bureau of Canada said it is prepared to work with governments and industry stakeholders on what it described as practical, evidence-based reforms to improve trucking safety and create a more transparent regulatory system nationwide.
