New provincial tow truck rules require training that's not available in northern Ontario

Small towing operators provide an essential service in northern Ontario where small communities are dispersed along highways that stretch across vast distances.

However, some of them tell CBC they've been struggling to hire new drivers to assist with roadside emergencies since Ontario officially imposed new industry requirements on July 1.

New tow drivers must now complete an approved training program involving online learning and one in-person six-hour session.

But there are currently only two authorized training providers in Ontario and one of them – CAA Club Group – only allows those in its contracted network to register in their course.

This leaves WreckMaster as the sole option for private operators that need to hire new staff.

"They're a small company that does not have the resources to provide for the entire province," says Dave Legault, general manager of Johnny's Transportation Services in the Chelmsford area of Greater Sudbury.  

WreckMaster says it's held a couple of in-person learning events in the past six weeks in Niagara, Etobicoke and Chatham-Kent.

"We schedule them where the demand has been," says company president Justin Cruse, adding that less than a dozen students from northern Ontario have enrolled in the course. 

"Unfortunately as it stands now we're basing it on the number of students coming in and scheduling courses in those areas."

Pierre Deforge, who owns Le Towing, a small tow truck operator based in North Bay, says it's hard enough to recruit experienced drivers, let alone certified ones. 

"Everybody licensed is working already," he said. 

After weeks of trying he eventually hired someone and paid them while they waited for one of the few available spots for in-person training in Toronto.

Getting this person certified cost Deforge $1,400 in course fees and travel expenses, which he says is a lot of money to pay for a new hire that might not even end up wanting to stay on the job.

"They should give temporary six month certificates so people can see if the work really suits them," he said.