Eight individuals from southern Ontario are facing fraud charges as part of an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigation into commercial driver examinations in Kingston and the Greater Toronto Area.
Members of the OPP’s Serious Fraud Office allege that the accused, who conducted commercial driving exams, took bribes in exchange for allowing those being tested to pass their commercial class A licence exams.
Lise Vaugeois, MPP for Thunder Bay—Superior North, has been a longtime advocate for safer highways in the northwest.
In a statement, she praised the OPP’s investigation, saying that “we have known for a long time that too many commercial drivers are being put on the road without adequate training and this has led to a serious increase in the number and severity of accidents on our northern highways.”
Vaugeois argues that more must be done to inspect commercial driving schools and audit Ontario’s trucking fleets.
“We want to see the MTO (Ministry of Transportation) invest in enforcement at all levels of the industry. This will be better for the legitimate industry players, and much better for everyone else using our highways,” she added.
The eight accused individuals are facing charges including Secret Commissions, Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, Money Laundering, and Breach of Trust.
They faced the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on Wednesday, January 28.
