Eighteen months after it began, the pandemic continues to play a role in supply chain problems here at home and around the globe.
The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association says labour shortages are a big factor which have been plaguing the industry.
Executive director Jean-Marc Picard says supply chain issues can be linked to the initial COVID-related lockdowns last year.
“During the first six months of COVID, the training schools were closed and immigration was shut down, so that probably created a backlog… and now it’s catching up to us.
“It’s extremely hard to manage because of the basics of our industry which is people and equipment and things like that.”
Picard says shortages of trucks and trailers have also become a problem connected to an ongoing shortage of semiconductor chips.
Prior to COVID, Picard says the trucking industry was already facing severe labour shortages but he says now it’s starting to reach a critical point.
Dozens of container ships in the Pacific and the Atlantic have been facing delays to offload their shipments and Picard says although containers mainly carry household goods, it could trickle-down to other things in the economy such as fuel or medical supplies.
In the United Kingdom, many gas stations have been running out of fuel due to a shortage of delivery drivers along with panic buying among some motorists.
Meantime, Picard noted truck drivers are currently facing more delays entering Prince Edward Island given that health officials there have increased COVID testing at the border.
On a positive note, he adds drivers have not been facing delays lately between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
