A motion introduced by NDP MPP Lise Vaugeois to return full responsibility for commercial driver testing and licensing in trucking to Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO) was rejected Thursday by a government committee.
Brought forward during a public hearing of the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy, the proposal was deemed out of scope for the agenda, prompting its dismissal.
However, the door remains open for further discussion in a subcommittee, which Vaugeois hopes will take place in the coming months.
The MPP argued that commercial driver training, especially in Northern Ontario, is a critical issue. She emphasized that challenging road conditions—particularly in winter—demand stronger oversight and higher standards.
Vaugeois also questioned the reliability of current licensing exams, stating that direct ministry oversight would help ensure minimum training requirements are upheld, testing procedures are credible, and unfit candidates can be legitimately denied a license.
Liberal MPP Lucille Collard expressed her support for the initiative, stating that operating heavy trucks requires a high level of responsibility and that collisions involving these vehicles can have serious consequences.
The initiative follows Premier Doug Ford’s recent reaffirmation of his government’s commitment to twinning highways in Northern Ontario to improve safety. The motion was one of three proposals that Northern Ontario MPPs aim to advance ahead of a private member’s bill expected this fall from committee vice-chair Guy Bourgouin, with support from other regional legislators.
Northern residents and local leaders have raised growing concerns over the rising number of accidents involving poorly trained commercial drivers.
In this context, Vaugeois criticized DriveTest—the private company currently in charge of driver evaluations—pointing out that its contracts are automatically renewed and no longer subject to competitive bidding.
She also challenged comments made by Hardeep Singh Grewal, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Transportation, who had stated that DriveTest operates under the highest industry standards. Vaugeois countered by citing repeated concerns raised by the Auditor General regarding the quality and consistency of DriveTest services.
According to Vaugeois, it is essential that driver testing services be brought back under the direct responsibility of the MTO and be subjected to a transparent and competitive procurement process.
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