A Look at Inter-provincial Shipping Regulations for Students in Transportation Operations Programs
For many, getting a new t-shirt or buying groceries seems as simple as walking down to the store and purchasing the item. However, professionals working in the transportation sector know that a lot of work goes into keeping store shelves stocked. Every day, trucks are dispatched, carrying everything from clothing to electronics, furniture, and more. That intricate transportation network is complex enough in its own right, however, what many might not know is that there are also several different laws that govern what can and can’t cross provincial borders.
Once you begin your career as a dispatcher, you will soon see that the trucks you dispatch will carry a wide variety of goods. They might be travelling from one city to another, or even travelling to a different province in the country. Want to know a little more about some of the regulations that govern what can pass across provincial borders? Read on to find out!
Grads of Dispatcher Training Classes Know Moving Fruits and Veggies Isn’t Simple
Given Canada’s extensive agricultural sector, you may not be surprised to learn that there are plenty of rules in place to secure the inspection of fruits and vegetables crossing provincial borders. These include making sure importers have a license from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (or are a member of the Dispute Resolution Corporation), and that trucks possess inspection certificates and use specified standard containers for the crops they are transporting.
These regulations have special sub-rules in place for certain provincial goods moving across the country—including everything from Prince Edward Island potatoes to New Brunswick blueberries. While some of these regulations might seem a little strange, observing them carefully is one way the transportation industry—and grads of a transportation operations program—can help promote as well as preserve the hard work of local farmers.
The Tide May Be Turning on Alcohol Shipping Between Provinces
During the Prohibition period in the 1920s, Canada adopted tough federal regulations that prohibited the personal transportation of alcohol across provincial borders. This gave rise to the provincial liquor control boards of all Canadian provinces, each of which oversees the “control, distribution and sale of beverage alcohol in its jurisdiction.”
When dealing with in-province transport of alcoholic goods as a dispatcher, the rules and requirements will likely be in place long-term, with clear guidelines established by the controlling authority (such as the LCBO in Ontario or SAQ in Quebec).
However, new legislative decisions regarding the transport of alcohol from province to province could potentially upset old rules regarding provincial supply, monopolies, and other distribution rules. This new era of change could see regulations change sizably, potentially easing the documentation and processing requirements currently in place, or opening up new distribution destinations for shipments. While time will tell whether these new legislative changes take place, if they do happen, they could bring even more business to dispatchers, as local breweries and wine producers look to sell their products to other Canadian markets. After you finish your dispatcher training class, changes in regulation could have a positive impact on your career.
Are you looking for an interesting career in transportation dispatching, or are trying to decide between dispatch schools in Montreal?
Contact us at Automotive Training Centres to find out more about our programs!
