With a labour-drain of 4,000-plus commercial drivers in Alberta, rural agricultural economies suffer.
That is where partnerships with the Wheels of Opportunity program come in to fill the gap.
WHY IT MATTERS: Keeping agricultural supply chains moving with much-needed and properly drivers critical for Alberta with expanded employment opportunities for the next generation.
Read Also
Farm Credit Canada forecasts higher farm costs for 2026
Canadian farmers should brace for higher costs in 2026, Farm Credit Canada warns, although there’s some bright financial news for cattle.
The Safety Buzz Campus, in partnership with Prairie Rose School Division serving southeastern Alberta, municipalities, employment agencies, and several agricultural leaders will offer the program where participants receive Class 3 licensing, air brake certification, safety and equipment training, professional development, and ag-specific hazard awareness with Wheels of Opportunity. It marks an investment of over $3,500 per participant.
Through experience and equivalency, the competency-based training creates a pathway from Class 3 and farm Restricted Class 1 to a full Class I licence.
The program features a state-of-the-art simulator where participants can safely practice in diverse conditions before hitting the road, to give youth a head start in their careers in the agricultural field, where Cypress County features plenty of irrigated farmland to go with an aging workforce near retirement looking for replacements.
Safety Buzz Campus is working with insurance companies and the Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce to lobby for an industry-accepted safety prerequisite threshold for agriculture transportation workers. Such standards would lower insurance costs to go along with the improved safety standards.
Costs for advanced training, including Class 1 upgrades, can be offset through a Learning Pathway Grant.
For more information or to apply, contact Safety Buzz Campus at 403-526-8400 or email [email protected].
