Laval, QC, November 4, 2025 – Teamsters Canada is highlighting several encouraging measures in the new federal budget, while expressing serious concerns over cuts to the public service, particularly within Transport Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada.
“We welcome the government’s promise to crack down on Driver Inc. and wage theft. But the cuts are cause for concern. You can’t fight exploitation by gutting the very departments that enforce the law. Bad actors are constantly looking for new ways to cheat workers and dodge taxes, and Ottawa needs the muscle to stop them,” said François Laporte, President of Teamsters Canada.
Investments to Combat Driver Inc.
Driver Inc. is a tax avoidance and employee misclassification scheme in which employers pressure truck drivers to incorporate themselves, despite being regular employees. The system fuels a race to the bottom, allowing shady operators to dodge taxes and skirt safety standards.
After a years-long campaign led by Teamsters Canada, the government is investing $77 million to address the issue. These efforts are expected to generate $40 million in annual tax savings, more than covering the cost of enforcement.
Crackdowns on Wage Theft
With the growing prevalence of Driver Inc., wage theft has become a serious problem in the trucking industry, where hard-working drivers are often denied the pay they’ve earned. Wage theft is theft, plain and simple. The Teamsters support all measures to fight it.
High-Speed Rail
The government’s commitment to invest in high-speed rail represents a welcome return to Canada’s proud rail heritage. But even today, rail industry jobs can be extremely hard on workers. Teamsters Canada will do everything possible to ensure these workers are organized and represented, as are all other rail workers.
Tax Credit for Personal Support Workers
Personal support workers are a cornerstone of our healthcare system, ensuring patients and seniors receive care and dignity. Teamsters Canada has been fighting for years at the bargaining table to put more money in their pockets. We applaud this new tax credit as a positive step.
More Support for Businesses than Workers
The budget provides far greater assistance to businesses affected by tariffs than to the workers who lose their jobs because of them. Time and again, we’ve seen that money given to large corporations does not “trickle down” to workers or the middle class. Workers impacted by tariffs need direct financial support, not digital training programs.
Cuts to the Public Service and Use of AI
On top of the proposed cuts to the public service, Ottawa plans on using artificial intelligence to reduce costs within departments. The government has offered no details or safeguards on how AI will be deployed. Clearly, delivering results for Canadians will require more than AI hype and excitement.
Teamsters Canada represents 135,000 members across the country.
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Media requests:
Christopher Monette
Director of Public Affairs
Teamsters Canada
Cell. : 514-226-6002
[email protected]
