No test, no job

After completing truck driver training in Ottawa, a Francophone tried multiple times to get a certified bilingual driver examiner for his test at a DriveTest centre in southern Ottawa, a designated area under the French Language Services Act. He complained to us that despite confirming the appointment, the centre told him each time that the bilingual examiner was unavailable. He told us that he had been hired for a job on the condition that he would pass his test, and the delay in getting his licence might make him lose the opportunity. He described the situation to us in these words: “If I can’t pass this test, I can’t earn a living.” [Translation]

RESULT: We brought this case to the Ministry of Transportation, which contracts a private company to provide drivers’ tests at a variety of centres across the province on behalf of the government. The Ministry told us the only bilingual examiner certified for trucks had been unavailable for personal reasons on the occasions the man had arranged to take his test. The Ministry assured us that the man would be able to take his practical exam 10 days later with a bilingual examiner from another DriveTest centre. The Ministry also told us about its plans to train new examiners for the Ottawa centre. We continued following up on recruitment and training, and confirmed that the DriveTest centre that was the subject of the complaint now has three certified bilingual driver examiners for heavy vehicles.

Learn more about the French Language Services Unit which answers questions and takes complaints about services in French.