Ont budget includes driver apprentice tax break, big cash for hwys
TORONTO -- Truck driving is finally being treated like most other trained skills in Ontario. A few days after the feds unveiled their 2007 budget -- which included meal tax claims restoration to 80 percent for drivers -- the Ontario Liberals also reached into the budget bag and pulled out something truckers will like. carriers participating in the voluntary truck driver apprenticeship program will now be eligible for a refundable Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit, as offered in other industries. The government says up to $5,000 is available per apprenticeship. "This is a big step forward for the apprenticeship program that a number of Ontario Trucking Association members and the Minister of Training, Colleges & Universities, Chris Bentley worked so hard on to bring to fruition," said OTA President David Bradley. "The tax credit will definitely encourage more carriers to participate in the program and I’m very glad that the government recognizes the importance of providing new truck drivers with better training." Since 2005, participating carriers have been providing mentoring services to new drivers and a prescribed regime of progressive skills development. The program has been growing, says OTA, but the industry was awaiting the approval of the program for the tax credit. The Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities was responsible for recognizing the program, but Ministry of Finance approval was required before participating carriers could be eligible for the tax credit. OTA had been lobbying for two years for inclusion of truck drivers in the tax credit regulations. Meanwhile the budget also included $1.7 billion in construction on the provincial highway system. Projects slated for the next year include: Extending Highway 404 by 13 km northwards; widening Highway 401 through Kingston, Highway 10 in Caledon, and Highway 417 in Ottawa; improving Highway 17 between Thunder Bay and Kenora; and proceeding with a new alignment of Highway 26 between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach. "While public transit has been attracting a lot of headlines, its worth noting that the government continues to make significant investments in our highway system," said Bradley. "This is exactly the kind of balanced growth in transportation infrastructure we advocate." There was one disappointment, though, as OTA was confident that the Liberals would also tackle how the province taxes trucking equipment. That was not the case. "Our day will come on that," said Bradley.