Michael Mantha, Member of Provincial Parliament for Algoma-Manitoulin, has introduced the Safer Driving Tests Act (Ending the Privatization Failure), 2024. This bill seeks to eliminate private contracts for the administration of driving tests in Ontario.
If passed, all driving examinations—including those for commercial drivers—would be directly managed by Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO).
A Privatization Model Under Fire
For years, driving tests in Ontario have been outsourced to Serco, a private company operating under a contract initially signed in 2013 by the then-Liberal government.
In 2023, Ontario’s Auditor General released a report uncovering significant shortcomings: failure to meet contractual obligations, underperformance, and reliance on public funds for services Serco was supposed to self-finance. Despite these findings, the current government extended Serco’s contract until 2025, bypassing a competitive bidding process and without enforcing stricter performance standards.
Michael Mantha argues that the privatization model has failed. Entrusting driving tests to a profit-driven company does not deliver reliable services for Ontarians, according to Mantha. It’s time to restore transparency and accountability in our licensing system.
Addressing Road Safety Concerns
The proposed legislation also tackles road safety issues. Mantha claims the privatized system has contributed to less secure roads, pointing to investigative reports from CBC that uncovered fraudulent practices in commercial driver training. These incidents highlight major weaknesses in the oversight of testing processes.
Ontario stands as an outlier, with most Canadian provinces managing driving tests through government departments or crown corporations. Reverting to a public management model would aim to address geographic disparities in access to testing services, enforce stricter testing protocols, and deliver a more transparent system.
Implications for Commercial Drivers
The bill would also impact commercial drivers, who have faced challenges under the current privatized system. Critics of Serco highlight irregularities in testing procedures and insufficient oversight of safety requirements, particularly for heavy vehicles.
Advocacy groups, such as The Highway 11/17 Kills People, are optimistic about the bill’s potential to enhance safety, especially on high-risk routes. If enacted, the legislation could fundamentally reshape how Ontarians obtain their driving licenses, ensuring fairness, accessibility, and rigorous safety standards.
The bill will be debated in the upcoming legislative session, representing a significant opportunity to reform Ontario’s driving test framework.
