Marketplace is back! Investigating unscrupulous truck training and licensing: CBC's Marketplace cheat sheet

Miss something this week? Don't panic. CBC's Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.

Want this in your inbox? Get the Marketplace newsletter every Friday.

Hidden camera, internal memo reveals how unqualified truck drivers are getting onto Canada's roads

The system for testing truck drivers in Ontario has been compromised by bribes, forged documents and rigged testing, says a memo leaked to CBC's Marketplace by an industry insider. 

A subsequent hidden camera investigation by Marketplace reveals that the training students get ahead of that test can be just as problematic. 

Ontario's DriveTest centres are managed by a company called Serco, which oversees operations and logistics for a variety of organizations, ranging from air traffic control for the Canadian Armed Forces to employment services for the federal government. 

The leaked internal memo, which was shared with Marketplace following an investigation into driving schools, was addressed to all driving examiners in Ontario. It reveals "a number of employees have either resigned or been terminated this past year due to investigations that we have completed involving allegations of inappropriate and illegal behaviour."

This behaviour ranges from examiners "accepting bribes for issuing road test passes, to manipulation of automatic versus manual transmission certificates, to false driver experience being added to driver records," according to the memo.

The memo was shared with Marketplace by Kiera Dubois, a DriveTest examiner responsible for testing people who want to obtain their commercial trucking licence. 

"[I'm] basically putting my job on the line to say something," she told Marketplace. CBC has agreed to change her name and conceal her identity, because she fears losing her job for speaking out.

"These people [who] took bribes gave licences for a murder weapon … in any accident of a transport [truck] versus a car, more than likely the person in that car is not going to walk away."

Marketplace requested an interview with Serco, which the company declined. In an email statement, spokesperson Alan Hill wrote that the company takes allegations seriously, and immediately launched an investigation resulting in the termination of those involved in any fraudulent or illegal behaviour. Read more

Using math and machine learning, researchers predict early flu spike in Canada, U.S.

A team of Canadian and American researchers says their method of forecasting the rate of transmission of infectious diseases is predicting an earlier spike in influenza cases this year.

Using mathematics and machine learning, the researchers analyzed data from late 2015 to September 2024, incorporating weather conditions, policy choices and movement patterns (drawn from cell phones) to predict how diseases like influenza and COVID-19 might spread. 

The team expects there will be more than 1,600 new flu cases confirmed each day in U.S. laboratories by the end of November, nearly double the number of cases during the same time period last year.

"For the prediction in this report, we applied U.S. data, but I think we would state that if we used Canadian data, similar conclusions would be drawn," said Hao Wang, director of the Interdisciplinary Lab for Mathematical Ecology and Epidemiology at the University of Alberta.

Wang, who is also a full professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in mathematical biosciences, said the team has predicted the initial surge of flu cases this year will come a month earlier than it did last year. 

He hopes this information helps inform public health officials.

"We hope we can make some impact on the decision-making," he said. Read more

Watching an NHL game this season may be more complicated than you think

It has never been more complicated or more expensive to watch hockey than it is right now. And yet, as the puck drops on a new NHL season, the broadcasting rights landscape in Canada is bracing for more dramatic changes. 

Experts warn whatever changes come, they won't make it easier on fans trying to watch hockey.

"I think we're headed for an era of greater complication," said Cary Kaplan, founder and president of Cosmos Sports.

Since 2013, Rogers Communications has held the exclusive rights to broadcast national hockey games in Canada. It paid a staggering $5.2 billion in a deal that shocked the hockey world.

But having a singular rights holder didn't mean it was suddenly easier for fans to watch their favourite teams.

Now, to watch NHL games this season, you will need to subscribe to Sportsnet, TSN, TVA and Amazon Prime.

Depending on the night, the games will air on one of those streaming services — and fans will have to check local listings to see where their favourite team is playing on any given night.

Amazon inked a deal with Rogers in the spring that will see the online giant stream regular-season games on Monday Night Hockey. That deal was heralded by Rogers, Amazon and the NHL as an important way to reach new audiences. 

"We are committed to serving hockey fans and reaching new audiences with our robust content distribution strategy that brings viewers exciting NHL content to a multitude of streaming services," said David Proper, senior executive vice-president, media & international strategy with the NHL. Read more

What else is going on?

Guide dog owner says Louie may be her last unless behaviour of 'service dogs' changes
Not all 'service dogs' have the same training, and it's a problem for guide dog owners.

Ontario daycare operators warn of looming rolling closures
Group of largely for-profit operators say they will close for unspecified amount of time the week of Oct. 21.

Rents went up just 2.1% in September, continuing monthly price slowdown
Prices still rising, but rate of increase hit its lowest point since October 2021.

Marketplace needs your help!

Are many of the vet clinics in your area corporately run? Tell us about your experience and the options in your city or town: [email protected].

Mind Your Business is your weekly look at what's happening in the worlds of economics, business and finance. Subscribe now.

Catch up on past episodes of Marketplace on CBC Gem.