International, out-of-province semi drivers should meet new Sask. training standards, RM councillor says

New mandatory training requirements for semi drivers in Saskatchewan do nothing to ensure drivers from other parts of North America have training that meets local standards, says one rural councillor.

Shawn Blandin, a councillor in the rural municipality of Lake Lenore, wants Saskatchewan Government Insurance to make out-of-province drivers show proof of their training credentials if they are driving in the province.

"It's a national issue. Transport trucks could start in Mexico, they could start in the U.S.," said Blandin.

"They can start in Ontario, Quebec, across provincial borders — so unless we're all on the same playing field, we're not going to accomplish what needs to be accomplished."

On Tuesday, he tabled a motion at the annual convention of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities in Saskatoon calling for new training rules to apply to all drivers on the province's roads.

Councillor urges SARM to act

New mandatory training for semi drivers in Saskatchewan will come into effect on March 15, 2019, following a crash involving a semi that killed 16 people and injured 13 others on the Humboldt Broncos team bus in April 2018.

Under SGI's new rules, new semi drivers will have to undergo a minimum of 121.5 hours of training before testing for their licence. That includes a minimum of 47 classroom hours, 17.5 hours driving in the yard and 57 hours behind the wheel.

Blandin said those rules should apply to all drivers on Saskatchewan roads.

The municipalities association should lobby SGI and the province to force drivers from any jurisdiction to "provide proof of the equivalent or better training as required by new Saskatchewan Class 1A licensees should the vehicle be pulled over by a law enforcement officer," Blandin's SARM motion says.

Farmers need training too: councillor

Blandin said the rural area where he lives is directly affected.

"We're from St. Brieux, and it's a manufacturing community, and for that company to build their products they have to import a lot of products — so we see licence plates from transport trucks from all across North America."

Farmers were made exempt from the new mandatory training rules. Despite the potential for backlash to the idea, Blandin said they too should be required to have the training.

"There's always pushback because of change ... [but] once it's adopted, we adapt to it. It will just be second nature," said Blandin. 

"What's good for one should be good for the other."

The motion was scheduled to be put to a vote at the SARM convention Tuesday night.

CBC has contacted SGI for a response.