The RV Dealers Association of Canada (RVDA of Canada) and the Canadian RV Association (CRVA) have joined together to express concerns with Transport Canada regarding the pending implementation of mandatory vaccinations for truckers entering the country.
The pending mandate is slated to take effect Saturday, Jan. 15.
“We fully support vaccination and agree that vaccination mandates are a critical tool in our battle against COVID,” said Shane Devenish, president of CRVA. “However, given current vaccination rates amongst truckers, especially in the Northern Indiana region where a high percentage of RV manufacturers are located, we are concerned that the Jan. 15 Canadian deadline for mandatory cross-border vaccination will significantly impede our industry, at a time when our industry is already facing a shortage of drivers willing to transport RVs to Canadian dealers.”
RVDA of Canada and the CRVA are estimating that wholesale shipments from RV manufacturers to Canadian dealers will surpass 55,000 units in 2021. However, with more than 95 percent of the RV producers located in the United States, the respective associations expressed to the federal government that the RV industry is vulnerable to border issues, including the availability of U.S. delivery companies and their drivers being able to enter Canada to maintain the supply chain.
In total, the Canadian RV sector directly and indirectly supported an estimated 67,200 jobs and delivered $4.8 billion in added economic value to the Canadian economy from an initial expenditure of $6.2 billion, according to a report conducted in 2019. The study revealed that approximately 2.1 million (or 14 percent) of Canadian households own an RV.
“We fear the mandate will lead to a lack of inventory for our retailers during their historical restocking period and/or price increases to our consumers. We hereby call on the government to delay the deadline for mandatory full vaccination until a later date to allow us to work with our suppliers so that we can minimize the supply chain disruption,” said RVDA of Canada President Eleonore Hamm.
