An announcement was made by Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, on behalf of Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification with the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) that it was making available $268,000 to support training in the Western Canadian trucking industry. The money will go for training of Western Canadian truck drivers and managers.
The investment was made through the Western Diversification Program. It will provide drivers and company managers with online and in-person skills training and knowledge transfer as well as technology demonstrations, to encourage the adoption of the latest transportation technologies, including digital driver logs and logistics software.
A Web training portal will be established to house the training material, the feds announced.
The MTA will help develop the training materials, along with provincial associations in Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.
“Our government’s top priority continues to be job creation, economic growth, and long-term prosperity,” said Glover. “In partnership with the trucking industry, we are addressing skills development and knowledge transfer concerns for both drivers and managers which will result in improved productivity and the reduction of barriers to the movement of goods.”
“This project is meaningful for the trucking industry in Western Canada,” added Terry Shaw, executive director, MTA. “Having sector specific training tools, created by industry for industry, and the needed technologies to deliver them remotely will afford trucking companies improved and expanded means to engage in ongoing education. We appreciate Western Economic Diversification Canada’s support for this project.”
