Inter-provincial trade limitations have gone viral, touted as a solution to U.S. tariffs. In my last blog, "SESAME STREET TAUGHT US, COOPERATION MAKES IT HAPPEN,'" I explained that the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) is ultimately responsible for any regulatory changes that effect the trucking industry and inter-provincial trade.
The CCMTA has a long-standing relationship with Transport Canada—dating back to 1947 when Transport Canada granted it authority. The CCMTA is an incorporated body whose membership includes representatives from Canada’s 14 provincial, federal, and territorial governments, each appointed by their respective jurisdictions.
Within the CCMTA, several committees focus on specific issues, including:
These committees establish working groups that seek solutions to pressing issues. The committee level is where the real work happens. The matter of inter-provincial trade barriers will likely fall under Compliance and Regulatory Affairs.
The CCMTA published its 2024–2027 strategic plan before the recent surge in tariff discussions. Given the growing focus on inter-jurisdictional trade, priorities may have shifted. One of the CCMTA’s strategic goals is to develop and maintain Reciprocal Pan-Canadian and International Agreements. The strategic plan includes examining:
Rather than focusing on international agreements, the CCMTA appears to be prioritizing Pan-Canadian agreements—meaning nationwide alignment.
Past Efforts: Heavy Truck Weight and Dimension Limits
In 2019, the Heavy Truck Weight and Dimension Limits for Interprovincial Operations in Canada document was released, based on the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Interprovincial Weights and Dimensions. Between 1991 and 2019, nine amendments were made to accommodate evolving technologies and industry needs, such as:
This is typical of government regulation—reactive rather than proactive. Technological advancements (e.g., electronic logging devices, ELDs) force unprepared regulators to adjust, rather than anticipating and preparing for industry changes. An example is there is still no ELD interpretation guide from the Federal Government or Alberta Transportation and the regulation is 4 years old. The 2019 amendments (Amendment 10) set the vehicle weight and dimension regulations that the trucking industry operates under today.
Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) & Trade Barriers
In 2023, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) released a report titled Interprovincial Trade Barriers in Trucking. The report, based on a survey of CTA members, identified multiple trade barriers, including:
The CCMTA’s strategic plan and the 2025 Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table (RCT) Workplan align on many of these issues. However, some trade barriers may never be fully resolved, while others require significant federal and provincial collaboration.
Why Is It So Hard to Remove Inter-Provincial Trade Barriers for Trucking?
Simple answer: a lack of leadership and direction.
Transport Canada granted regulatory policy authority to the CCMTA, which consists of 14 representatives—each with different priorities. Achieving consensus takes years of meetings, drafts, and rewrites. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) move slowly.
If the federal Transport Minister provided clear directives, stating that inter-provincial trade is Priority #1, the CCMTA and provinces would have to fast-track agreements. Transport Canada may need to act as referee and tie-breaker to push progress forward. More committees, working groups, and studies aren’t the answer—we need decisive action.
Not every jurisdiction will get exactly what it wants, but it’s time to focus on the big picture.
The Root of the Problem: Provincial Control
The weights and dimension 2019 MoU states:
"Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, each of the provinces and territories will permit vehicles which comply with the appropriate weights and dimensions described in the following section to travel on a designated system of highways in their jurisdiction. It should be recognized that each jurisdiction continues to retain authority to allow more liberal weights and dimensions, or different types of vehicle configurations, for trucking operations within their jurisdiction. In addition, for trucking operations which take place between adjacent jurisdictions with compatible weight and dimension regulations which are more liberal than those specified in this document, the local regulations will prevail."
This explains why complete harmonization of regulations has never been achieved—each province and territory maintain authority over its own regulations.
A Call for Action: A Regulatory Reckoning
The transportation industry needs a regulation overhaul, just as it did during deregulation in 1987. If the federal government is serious about removing inter-jurisdictional trade barriers, it should:
The industry doesn’t need more bureaucracy—it needs bold leadership and immediate action to remove the barriers that have stifled trucking progress for decades.
