According to the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), the often-delayed enforcement of Canada’s Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate will begin as planned on January 1, 2023. The ELD mandate requires the electronic data collection of truck drivers’ hours of service, similar to the regulation that went into effect in the United States in December of 2017.
While the American and Canadian ELD regulatory requirements are very similar, a big difference is the certification process. In the U.S., the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) allows ELD manufacturers to self-certify their devices to meet regulatory compliance. Canada is requiring third-party certification of devices.
The lack of ELDs certified for use in Canada has been one of the biggest reasons for the delays and the CTA, which represents approximately 4,500 trucking companies in Canada, has voiced concerns that the enforcement of the mandate could be pushed back even further, as ELD providers rush to get certification in place.
As of August 15, 2022, a total of 55 devices were registered and certified according to Transport Canada, a small amount compared to the over 800 devices listed as available for use by the FMCSA in the U.S..
Further raising the prospect of more delays is the fact that four provinces – British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland – have yet to introduce regulations or legislation required to mandate ELDs. The CTA wants those provinces that have committed to the mandate to proceed with or without the remaining four jurisdictions by the January 2023 enforcement deadline.
“There should be no more moving the goalposts on dates and no more delays. The time to finally start this important safety regime is past due,” CTA president Stephen Laskowski said in a release when the latest delay was announced.
For more information, contact William Sanchez, Manager – Truck Services.