CAVI president Barrie Kirk is challenging Transport Canada's decision to not endorse a planned cross-country autonomous truck demonstration, arguing the federal regulator created a no-win situation by refusing to participate while directing the organization to seek funding elsewhere, despite Transport Canada's history of funding similar automated vehicle projects.
- CAVI planned to send a self-driving tractor-trailer 5,800 kilometers from Halifax to Vancouver in 2028 with a safety operator aboard
- Transport Canada refused to endorse the project on July 21, citing its role as the federal vehicle safety regulator
- Kirk argues Transport Canada's position is inconsistent, noting the department previously funded $2.9 million for 15 connected and automated vehicle projects and has officials on boards of similar associations
- The project aimed to identify regulatory barriers for automated vehicles crossing multiple provincial jurisdictions and support interprovincial trade efforts
- CAVI cancelled the demonstration after concluding it could not secure funding without Transport Canada's institutional support at the table
The head of a Canadian automated-vehicle industry group is pushing back against Transport Canada after the organization cancelled plans to send a self-driving tractor-trailer from Halifax to Vancouver.
Canadian Automated Vehicle Initiative president Barrie Kirk said the department left organizers without a viable path to funding by refusing to participate while directing them to seek support from other organizations.
“Transport Canada is creating a no-win situation for CAVI,” Kirk told Collision Repair.
CAVI launched the project in May 2025 with the goal of sending an automated tractor-trailer about 5,800 kilometres from Halifax to Vancouver in 2028. A safety operator would have accompanied the vehicle.
Kirk cancelled the demonstration after concluding it could not secure the funding and institutional support required to continue.
His comments follow the publication of a response to the cancellation announcement written by Transport Canada and published in Collision Repair.
In its response, Transport Canada officials wrote that members of the organization had met and exchanged correspondence with CAVI several times before informing the association on July 21 that it would not endorse the project.
“Given its role as the federal vehicle safety regulator, Transport Canada does not endorse individual large-scale projects of this nature,” a department representative said.
The response also mentioned that Transport Canada offered to help CAVI understand federal regulatory requirements and obtain any applicable exemptions or temporary importation declarations and encouraged the association to seek support from provincial governments, non-governmental organizations and other federal departments whose mandates were more closely aligned with project funding.
Kirk said that advice did not reflect the conditions CAVI faced when approaching prospective partners.
“We have been told very clearly by other organizations that what we are doing is a ‘no brainer,’ but that their support and funding is conditional on Transport Canada being at the table,” he said.
Transport Canada regulates vehicle manufacturing, importation and federal safety standards. Provinces and territories control vehicle registration, insurance, traffic laws and permission to test automated vehicles on public roads.
That division of responsibility was central to the project. CAVI wanted to determine what approvals would be required for one automated truck to cross several provincial jurisdictions and encourage governments to develop a more consistent approach.
The planning team grew to 75 volunteers from industry, academia and government, with representatives from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. A steering group and six working groups examined different parts of the proposed trip. Kirk said more than 1,000 people followed CAVI and the project.
CAVI cancelled the demonstration after concluding it could not secure the funding and institutional support required to continue.
Kirk also questioned Transport Canada’s reliance on its regulatory role to explain why it would not become involved.
“There are examples of Transport Canada funding CAV demonstration projects and even of a senior TC official being on the board of directors of a similar association,” Kirk said. “I cannot connect the dots between Transport Canada’s actions and words.”
Federal records confirm that Transport Canada has funded and participated in individual connected and automated vehicle projects.
The department previously provided $2.9 million for 15 projects through the Program to Advance Connectivity and Automation in the Transportation System. Those projects included an automated transit shuttle test in Toronto and research intended to prepare roads and municipalities for connected and automated vehicles.
Transport Canada also initiated a truck-platooning trial with the Alberta Motor Transport Association. Two heavy trucks equipped with Level 2 automation completed more than 23,000 kilometres of commercial operations on public roads. Drivers remained responsible for steering while the system controlled acceleration, braking and the distance between the trucks.
The Alberta trial was less ambitious than CAVI’s proposal. It involved partial automation and operations concentrated primarily within one province, while CAVI planned a trip through several jurisdictions.
The earlier work nevertheless confirms that Transport Canada’s position as a regulator has not prevented it from funding or participating in selected automated-vehicle demonstrations.
Kirk’s second example also has a factual basis.
Craig Hutton, Transport Canada’s associate assistant deputy minister of policy, is listed as a member of the ITS Canada board and its executive committee for the 2025-to-2027 term. ITS Canada is a not-for-profit association representing organizations involved in intelligent transportation systems.
Transport Canada has also provided funding to ITS Canada for connected transportation planning work.
Kirk argued that the cross-country demonstration also supported federal efforts to increase interprovincial trade.
“And yet, Transport Canada declines to say that the truck project supports the Prime Minister’s strategy and objectives to increase interprovincial trade,” he said.
Federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working to reduce differing rules and administrative requirements affecting interprovincial trucking. CAVI said its demonstration would have identified comparable barriers affecting the future movement of automated commercial vehicles.
He went on to say Transport Canada’s lack of support was being noticed outside Canada.
“There are many people in other countries who follow CAVI and have privately expressed surprise at the lack of support from Transport Canada,” he said. “This is a pity as Canada does not show well on the international stage.”
Those private reactions could not be independently confirmed.
Collision Repair approached Transport Canada for comment. Representatives said the department could not provide answers before publication.
