Trucking association says B.C. stands to lose more than it gains tolling American vehicles

Andrew Kurjata · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

The B.C. Trucking Association says it does not enactment authorities tabled by the B.C. authorities that would springiness the state powerfulness to use fees to U.S. commercialized postulation traveling to and from Alaska.

On Thursday, the state passed archetypal speechmaking of its sweeping Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act, which Premier David Eby has characterized arsenic "enabling legislation" — giving the authorities the powerfulness to respond to economical threats from the United States arsenic they arise.

Included successful the measure is simply a conception allowing tolls, fees oregon charges to beryllium applied to some roadworthy postulation and to ferries traveling on the coast.

That power, said relation president Dave Earle, is 1 galore of his members are disquieted about.

"The escaped question of goods passim North America is the halfway of our business," helium told CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton. "Anything that puts that astatine risk, beryllium it a barrier, time, fee, tax, immoderate ... that's ever a precise superior concern."

LISTEN | Earle shares his concerns astir motortruck tolls: 

He questioned the practicality of the measure, fixed however galore antithetic introduction points determination are into B.C. from assorted provinces and states, immoderate 1 of which could yet link to Yukon and past connected to Alaska.

He besides pointed retired that the province's ain figures, provided by the Ministry of Transportation, amusement less than 10,000 trucks question done B.C. to Alaska annually — a miniscule fig compared to those that question done the United States to present goods betwixt Mexico and Canada which, helium said, raises "the imaginable of retaliation."

"The American president has been precise chaotic, I deliberation it's just to say, successful his attack to things," Earle said. 

"While determination are hundreds of movements of vehicles done British Columbia successful immoderate fixed week to the authorities of Alaska, determination are tens of thousands of motortruck movements done America from Mexico to Canada moving fruits and vegetables and different goods."

"We request to beryllium very, precise thoughtful astir what the impacts of our decisions are."

Indeed, national numbers amusement that Mexico is Canada's third-largest trading partner, with a narration that includes much than $2 cardinal worthy of fruits and vegetables coming into the state each year.

In contrast, astir of Alaska's overseas commercialized is with China, with the bulk of goods — much than 90 per cent — coming into the authorities by vessel alternatively than road, making immoderate action on B.C.'s portion much symbolic than practical, Earle said.

Eby conceded the constituent erstwhile asked astir it by reporters, saying the main crushed helium would target Alaska is the information it has some a Republican politician and congresswoman who "have entree to the president" and tin "go to the president and say, 'What are you doing?'"

Legislation volition lone beryllium utilized arsenic needed, premier says

Eby has said helium would lone usage the authorities arsenic needed and that determination are provisions built successful requiring impervious that immoderate actions taken done it are the effect of the tenable content that the state is nether menace from a overseas government.

To that end, helium said, helium had nary contiguous plans to enactment tolls successful place, but helium viewed them arsenic an important enactment should the commercialized warfare initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump escalate further, threatening to undermine the provincial economy.

"The existent American medication is unpredictable," helium said Thursday. "We, arsenic a government, request to beryllium acceptable to respond."

Opposition Leader John Rustad is critical, characterizing the measure arsenic giving the authorities "the powerfulness to bash thing they privation with nary oversight."

On tolls, helium said, the measure failed to specify fees would beryllium aimed astatine American vehicles and could, successful information beryllium applied to Canadian drivers, which helium called "a precise slippery slope."

Hamish Telford, an adjunct prof of governmental subject astatine the University of the Fraser Valley, said helium understood the concerns of imaginable overreach but said the projected authorities seemed to person tenable safeguards built in.

"We're successful unprecedented times," helium said. "It doesn't look to maine to beryllium retired of enactment to person authorities that gives our enforcement the nimbleness to respond much rapidly to the actions the president of the United States whitethorn instrumentality against us."

Like Earle, helium wondered whether Trump mightiness get upwind of the imaginable roadworthy fees and escalate successful kind, pointing to the caller acquisition of Ontario Premier Doug Ford astir energy pricing.

"Trade wars thin to escalate," helium said, emphasizing that the basal origin of the quality was Trump. "A batch of radical are going to get hurt."