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Safety fitness certificates
Carriers that operate commercial vehicles in Saskatchewan are required to obtain a safety fitness certificate before operating in Saskatchewan. Commercial vehicles are defined as:
- Vehicles registered in Class A, C, or D and that have a registered gross weight of 5,000 kilograms or more;
- Vehicles that are registered in Class LV (commercial use only) and that have a registered gross weight of 11,794 kilograms or more, or, if operated outside of Saskatchewan, with a registered gross weight of 5,000 kilograms or more; or
- Vehicles registered in Class PB, PC, or PS or that would be registered in Class PB, PC, or PS if that vehicle was registered in Saskatchewan.
New carrier applicants must take a knowledge exam to show basic understanding of motor carrier safety compliance. The test consists of 40 questions and a carrier representative will have 90 minutes to complete the test. Tests are conducted at Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) offices. Tests cover four primary areas: hours of service (federal), drivers and vehicles, insurance and records, and safety training. The knowledge test fee is $55.
The fee for the issuance of a new safety fitness certificate is $125 and it is $50 to renew the safety fitness certificate. A replacement safety fitness certificate is $15.
A carrier is exempt from the requirement of obtaining a safety certificate with respect to a vehicle if:
- The vehicle is an emergency vehicle as defined in The Vehicle Equipment Regulations, 1987;
- The vehicle is registered in Class A, C, D, or LV and has a registered gross vehicle weight less than 11,794 kilograms;
- The carrier or driver of the vehicle has been issued a unique safety fitness certificate number from another Canadian province or territory; or
- The carrier or driver of the vehicle is:
- Registered with the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and has a U.S. DOT number; and
- Is not applying to register the vehicle in Saskatchewan.
A copy of the safety fitness certificate must be carried in all vehicles covered under the certificate.
Every carrier that is the holder of a safety fitness certificate is required to notify the administrator in writing within 15 days after changes to:
- The certificate holder’s name or address;
- The ownership of the holder’s business; or
- The officers, directors, or partners of the holder.
Safety programs
Although establishing a written safety program isn’t required by regulation in Saskatchewan, carriers are strongly encouraged to develop such a program. Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) has information on how to create and implement a successful written safety program. Go to www.sgi.sk.ca/pdf/develop_safety_plan.pdf for more information.
Safety fitness rating
The safety fitness certificate shows the carrier’s safety rating. Possible safety fitness ratings include satisfactory, satisfactory-unaudited, conditional, and unsatisfactory. A satisfactory-unaudited rating will be issued upon application of the safety fitness certificate and will not change until the carrier is audited.
SGI monitors the carrier’s safety performance through the carrier profile system using a point system. Infractions such as collisions, convictions, or on-road inspections have points assigned to them; the number of points assigned to a particular infraction depends on its severity. Infractions will appear on the carrier’s profile and if a carrier’s accumulated points exceed the established threshold, the carrier receives a series of warnings. If the carrier ignores the warnings or fails to correct the problems, SGI will eventually audit the carrier. Depending on the audit results, the carrier’s safety rating may change.
Law
Traffic Safety Act
Carrier profiles
For the purposes of monitoring the safety and fitness compliance of drivers and carriers of commercial vehicles, Saskatchewan compiles information and maintain profiles on individual carriers with respect to compliance with the following acts and their regulations:
- The Traffic Safety Act and its associated regulations;
- The Alcohol and Gaming Regulation Act, 1997;
- The Animal Products Act;
- The Criminal Code;
- The Dangerous Goods Transportation Act;
- The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 (Canada);
- The Highways and Transportation Act, 1997;
- The Motor Vehicle Transport Act, 1987 (Canada); and
- Any similar enactment in other jurisdictions in Canada or elsewhere respecting motor vehicle or road safety.
For information on accessing the carrier profile, visit http://tinyurl.com/SKcarrierprofile. Carriers can set up online access.
Law
Traffic Safety Act, Section 102
Compliance reviews
Application
The Compliance Review Program has been implemented by Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and the Highway Traffic Board to ensure that private and for-hire motor carriers operating in Saskatchewan demonstrate a high level of compliance with transportation law. As the purpose of the review is to assist carriers in their understanding of and compliance with applicable safety standards, sanctions will be used only as a last resort and not as a convenient means of enforcing compliance.
Procedure
Reviews will be conducted when a carrier fails to meet safety standards as established in the profile maintained by Carrier Safety Programs, SGI. The successive stages of the review procedure (as outlined below) will be triggered by repeated incidents of non-compliance with transport law.
- Where the number of violations, accidents or roadside detentions recorded on the carrier’s file exceed the established standard, the Compliance Review Committee will review the carrier’s activities and notify him by mail to improve his level of compliance.
- Further evidence of non-compliance will result in a review by the Compliance Review Committee and a trucking industry representative.
- Finally, a carrier whose record of compliance is consistently below standards will be called to a “show cause” hearing before the Highway Traffic Board.
Law
Traffic Safety Act, Sections 89(1) and 99(1)
Facility audits
Application
A carrier that is the holder of a safety fitness certificate is required maintain all of that carrier’s commercial records in Saskatchewan.
The Facility Audit Standard allows for in-depth reviews by a safety specialist with Saskatchewan Government Insurance to ensure that carriers are maintaining the required records, as well as complying with all applicable safety standards. Unless otherwise specified by regulation, all records and books must be retained for a period of at least five years from the date of preparation or the last date of entry.
Law
Traffic Safety Act, Sections 89(1), 103.1, and 105(1)
Regulations
Commercial Vehicle and Drivers (Record-Keeping) Regulations, 2021
Alberta-Saskatchewan Memorandum of Understanding
In October 2009, Alberta and Saskatchewan adopted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Commercial Vehicle Harmonization. The MOU will allow improved commercial transportation between the two provinces by harmonizing certain commercial vehicle regulations and oversize/overweight permitting procedures. Under the MOU, Alberta and Saskatchewan agree to the following:
- Harmonized special permit conditions for turnpike doubles;
- Harmonized special permit conditions for oversize and overweight indivisible loads and for the movement of manufactured homes;
- Harmonized maximum gross vehicle weight for B-trains;
- Establishment of an interprovincial heavy haul/high clearance corridor;
- Harmonization of regulation and permit conditions for regulations based on the National Safety Code (NSC) (hours of service, NSC weight threshold);
- Cooperative commercial vehicle enforcement activities and facilities; and
- Research and pilot projects to address common concerns with wide based super single tires.
In the MOU, both provinces also agree to consider other opportunities for harmonization, such as joint commercial vehicle enforcement at weigh stations, the possibility of new weigh stations, and scale bypass allowance programs.