Dear [recipient position will go here] [recipient name will go here],
Canada’s economy is in a fragile state. Continued cost of living pressures and sustained inflation has led to life becoming more costly for more Canadians. And talk of a recession is heating up. Now is not the time for further attacks on our supply chains and economy. But that’s exactly what’s happening with the emergence of a new tax scheme in the trucking industry, known as Driver Inc.
Driver Inc. is an unethical operating scheme that allows trucking companies to avoid paying their fair share of taxes and source deductions. Driver Inc. has spawned an uneven playing field in the trucking industry and is creating unfair and illegal disadvantages for compliant and responsible companies. Those using the scheme are siphoning away over $1 billion a year in tax revenues from vital Canadian services and infrastructure and funnelling it into the underground economy, while circumventing important labour, safety, and environmental rules.
Let’s stop this illegal practice today.
To date, the federal government has fallen short on its promises to end the Driver Inc. scheme since promising to do so five years ago. Much more must be done at both the national and provincial levels to tackle this problem. As a compliant and responsible carrier, not to mention a proud Canadian SME, I expect the federal government to take immediate action to protect drivers’ rights, supply chains, and drive Canada’s economic recovery. Those actions include:
- Have ESDC move the pilot program into full force across Canada;
- Increase enforcement levels from the Canada Revenue Agency, to help end systemic labour abuses;
- Have Finance Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency work together to close all tax loopholes related to Driver Inc., and;
- Make clear that companies that participate in the Driver Inc. scheme are tax-cheats.
It’s high time the federal government put an end to Driver Inc. once and for all.
On behalf of the companies paying their fair share of taxes and treating their employees with respect, we urge you to put a stop to this illegal practice which threatens the country’s economic survival.
Very best,
[your name will go here]
[your email address will go here]