By The Canadian Press
Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen arrives at the United Conservative caucus in Calgary, Thursday, May 19, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
The Alberta government says it has shut down 20 trucking companies in the province since October, including one involved in a fatal collision in Manitoba.
Transport Minister Devin Dreeshen says an investigation found Conquer Transportation Inc. had wilful and sustained non-compliance.
The Manitoba government said the company was previously registered as Conquer Transport Inc. in the province before it lost its safety certificate in November 2021.
It says the company went on to re-register under the slightly different name in Alberta before being involved in the fatal crash in Brandon, Man., in May.
Brandon police say its initial investigation found the 35-year-old driver of a semi-truck failed to stop at a stop sign, resulting in the death of a 49-year-old woman.
Manitoba Transport Minister Lisa Naylor says she was pleased with Alberta’s move against the company, and the province’s support for a federal trucking database.
“We are encouraged by the growing consensus amongst the provinces and territories because we all know safety doesn’t stop at any border,” said Naylor.
Dreeshen said 13 of the 20 trucking companies shut down, including Conquer, were so-called chameleon carriers. Such companies try to avoid regulatory oversight by changing names, creating new entities or relocating operations across jurisdictions.
The push for a national database is part of the effort to fight against the practice that Alberta is also working on, said Dreeshen.
“We continue to work with our federal and provincial/territorial partners to strengthen enforcement across jurisdictions, including addressing chameleon carriers.”
