Truckers press for green incentives

TORONTO — Ontario’s top trucking rep told provincial leaders to incorporate policies into the budget that would help trucking companies investment in new, greener technologies and equipment.

Appearing before the Legislative Standing Committee on Finance Ontario Trucking Association President David Bradley made his members’ interests known for the 2010 Ontario Budget.

While recognizing spending limitations, Bradley proposed a partnership between the trucking industry and the provincial government to accelerate the penetration of new leading edge, environmentally friendly technology, such as 2010 smog-free truck engines.

Bradley called for a coordinated program, using various government fiscal tools such as super-accelerated CCA rates, tax incentives, or funding programs, to promote the adoption of the new technologies that are part of the Canadian Trucking Alliance’s enviroTruck initiative.

By partially offsetting the significant capital costs of adopting these technologies, the government could help the industry reduce fuel costs and truck emissions by up to 22 percent, he said.

For a copy of the OTA’s pre-budget submission, please click the link below.

Bradley also took time to applaud once again the HST initiative and recommended measures to ease the transition to the new tax system.

Consumers might not like the new tax, but Bradley says the current provincial sales tax regime is unfair and inefficient for businesses, while the HST is a "fairer, simpler system for taxing business inputs."

However, Bradley added that businesses need to be provided with details of the terms and rules soon, so they can begin making the transition in order to be ready on July 1, 2010."

Click here for a full copy of the OTA’s pre-budge submission.