Quebec truckers council say mandatory vaccination will have repercussions on supply chain, food prices
Mandatory vaccinations for truckers entering Canada from the United States go into effect this morning.
As of midnight, workers must be fully vaccinated if they want to avoid a two-week quarantine and a COVID-19 test before their arrival.
Earlier this week, the Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ) said the new requirement will have repercussions in the province since refusal of entry into the country will represent "between 12,000 and 16,000 fewer truckers on the road, when the industry is already facing a serious shortage of truckers."
In a statement, CTAQ said that "the food supply chain, already weakened by the pandemic and a labour shortage, cannot withstand this additional pressure."
"The spike in food prices will only be amplified upwards," said CTAQ president and CEO Sylvie Cloutier.
Unvaccinated U.S. truck drivers will also be turned away at the border starting Jan. 15, as the U.S. prepares to impose similar restrictions on Canadian truckers on Jan. 22.
About 26,000 of the 160,000 drivers who regularly make cross-border trips will be sidelined because of the vaccination requirement, the Canadian Trucking Alliance and the American Trucking Association said, which also believes it will lead to higher prices for goods such as food or medical devices.
There was some confusion this week about mandatory vaccinations for truckers entering Canada to avoid quarantine when the Canada Border Services Agency announced on Wednesday that it was postponing the measure.
Ottawa reversed course the next day, saying the rule would go into effect this Saturday, as announced last November.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 15, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
BREAKING 15-year-old boy stabbed Thursday in Nepean dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Mexican authorities say thieves killed 2 Australians and an American to steal their truck
Thieves killed two Australians and an American on a surfing trip to Mexico in order to steal their truck, particularly because they wanted the tires, authorities said Sunday.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.