The Port Transportation Association is planning to stage a truck rally from 10:15 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday, August 1 through the streets of Victoria.
The rally is a show of solidarity between company owners and drivers, voicing concerns over proposed changes to the drayage industry.
Drayage refers to the transport of goods over short distances, particularly within the same metropolitan area.
Organizers say the NDP’s appointed Commissioner has decided to reshape BC’s container drayage industry by way of licence and undefined terms, as opposed to through proper changes to the Container Trucking Act.
They argue the new regulations will have detrimental effects on BC small business, jobs within all related sectors, risk the health of Canada’s supply chain, and will ultimately increase inflation.
The association says decisions of this magnitude with respect to job loss and preventing business from engaging in lawful commerce, need to be made by elected officials.
The three rally routes are as follows:
- South on Blanshard to Superior, WB Superior to Oswego, NB on Oswego (to Coho Terminal), EB on Belleville past the BC Legislature to Douglas St.
- East on Belleville to Douglas St, SB Douglas to Mile Zero, WB Dallas Road to Belleville St (past the Legislature)
- East on Belleville St past the Legislature to Blanshard, NB on Blanshard.HWY 17 to the Royal Oak/Broadmead exit, over the overpass and loop back SB HWY 17/Blanshard and repeat Loop 1.