< Previous20 // www.womendrivingchangemagazine.ca “Driver Inc. is the number one issue here in Canada, and we are committed as a team, as a board, and as partners to see this through. We will remove this kind of lawlessness from our industry and bring the level playing field back to trucking.” Adams agrees, but warns, “There is a lot of money in Driver Inc., and these guys will not go down without a fight. They are crafty and will do what they can to find a way to work around the rules to stay up and run- ning. This is an issue that we will have keep a close eye on and, as soon as things start to go off the rail, we will all have to work together to get it back on track.” continues to be safe, more resilient, and better positioned to serve Canadians and our trading partners.” Canadian trucking organizations are applauding the Government of Canada’s newly announced enforcement blitz tar- geting worker misclassification in the fed- erally regulated trucking sector, seeing this action as an important step toward ensuring fairness, safety, and long-term stability across Canada’s transportation industry. “We’ve lived and breathed this issue for a decade, and we’ll continue to bird dog it for as long as it takes,” says Laskowski. workers are meeting their tax obligations, while also supporting fair working condi- tions and safer roads for all Canadians. “Canada’s supply chains rely on a strong, competitive, and fair trucking industry,” said the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, at the December rule-change announcement. “This is an important step toward ensuring a level playing field for the thousands of operators who keep our economy moving. By supporting great- er transparency and compliance, we are helping to build a trucking sector that 22 // www.womendrivingchangemagazine.ca Like many in the trucking commu- nity, Conlin-Pereira first crossed paths with Millen-Mackenzie at a truck show. Eventually, Conlin-Pereira began serving Trucking for a Cure, while working at her husband’s King of Bling polishing/detail- ing company’s booth at shows. “I wanted to give back so I started making epoxy cups for Trucking for a late founder Joanne Millen- Mackenzie and powered by the people who loved her, believed in her, and continue her legacy. Today, that legacy sits largely in the hands of Event Organizer Jia Conlin- Pereira. She stepped forward following Millen-Mackenzie’s passing in 2024 to keep the organization moving forward. Conlin-Pereira is dedicated to fulfilling the mission of turning the transpor- tation industry pink every October to ensure the fight against breast cancer never loses momentum. ince 2010, Trucking for a Cure has been a bright pink force within Canada’s trucking community; creat- ing awareness, ral- lying drivers, and raising more than $600,000 for breast cancer research, education, and early detection initiatives. What began as a grassroots convoy has grown into a national show of strength and solidarity built by the FEATURE S Still Trucking for a Cure: By Kaitin Vitt, Staff Writer Driven by purpose, fueled by communityWomen Driving Change Magazine // 23 Cure. I raised a lot of money doing that for them, and then I just kept working with Joanne. She couldn’t get rid of me,” Conlin-Pereira says with a laugh. Stepping into a leadership role When Millen-Mackenzie passed away, it left the organization at a crossroads. The woman who had poured her heart into Trucking for a Cure for more than a decade was suddenly gone, leaving behind a legacy that needed tending. “She had huge shoes to fill,” Con- lin-Pereira says. “I don’t think I really realized just how much she did for the industry and for the community until I sat in her position, and it’s been a huge learning curve.” Despite carrying that weight, she approaches the work with humil- ity, something she traces directly back to Millen-Mackenzie’s guidance. “Being a part of Trucking for a Cure means everything to me,” Conlin-Pereira says. “I’m humbled. I’m honoured. The fact that Joanne trusted me and believed in me enough to put me in the position that I am, there’s really no words for it.” Honouring a legacy For Conlin-Pereira, keeping Millen- Mackenzie’s spirit present in the work is just as important as the fundraising itself. “Joanne was… I don’t even think there’s words. She was larger than life. She was an inspiration,” Conlin-Pereira says. “To see her do what she did was the most beautiful thing to experience.” The late Joanne Millen-Mackenzie helped raise over $600,000 for breast cancer research through her work with Trucking for a Cure. The convoys Joanne organized were instrumental to fundraising. Jia hopes to host at least one in 2026. Photos courtesy of Trucking for a Cure. “Joanne was… I don’t even think there’s words. She was larger than life. She was an inspiration! To see her do what she did was the most beautiful thing to experience.” – JIA CONLIN-PEREIRA24 // www.womendrivingchangemagazine.ca The truck show circuit also remains one of the organization’s greatest fund- raising sources. “Mostly what we’ve done is the truck shows, and we have a few that we do that are 100% in support of Trucking for a Cure,” she says. “Proceeds from the entire shows are donated to the Canadian Cancer Society on behalf of Trucking for a Cure.” Looking forward, Conlin-Pereira and the volunteer team is focusing on growth, both in events and in year-round fundraising. “Joanne used to host the convoy. We’re trying to get that going again because that has been the largest source of rev- enue and donations,” she says. “We’re also going to expand to e-commerce for the shirts that Joanne had designed and for all the merchandise we sell at shows. That way, it’s available year-round. Anybody can get it at any time.” A future built on hope Trucking for a Cure remains a com- munity, one built from courage, grief, strength, solidarity, and the unshakable belief that a cure is possible. “It’s been an amazing experience. It’s surreal,” Conlin-Pereira says. “I was a lost kid for a long time, trying to find myself. Joanne believed in me, encour- aging me to just keep pushing for what’s right. And as long as you’re fighting the good fight, then that’s all that matters.” was.” For Conlin-Pereira, keeping Truck- ing for a Cure running is the greatest way she can honour that legacy. “This is why we keep Trucking for a Cure alive – it’s for her, it’s for the survi- vors, it’s for the people who are currently fighting.” The funding raised by Trucking for a Cure supports the Canadian Breast Can- cer Foundation, fueling research, public education, early detection programs, and care for the families affected by breast cancer. Conlin-Pereira says that research is paying off in powerful ways, such as expanded access to mammograms in Ontario. “All of the new advancements, like earlier options for detection through medical advancements, make the work Trucking for a Cure does so important,” she says. “I’ll never know the individual people that I help because of the scale of our work but knowing that I helped is all I can ask for.” An industry that shows up Trucking for a Cure’s visibility is one of its greatest strengths. The organization appears at truck shows throughout Ontar- io, where drivers, families, and industry partners gather to support the cause. “More shows are popping up every day in support of Trucking for a Cure,” she says. “We try to attend as many as we pos- sibly can all over Ontario.” Conlin-Pereira says Trucking for a Cure always gets a great response from the community. “A lot of people thank us. I remember when Joanne was still here with us, and people would come just to see her and just to thank her for everything she did,” Conlin-Pereira says. “Since she’s passed, I have people coming to thank me for keep- ing it going and for doing our best. They are always offering their support.” Even before she founded Trucking for a Cure, Millen-Mackenzie knew firsthand what early detection meant. Quietly, pri- vately, she survived breast cancer herself, something many people didn’t know. “Most people knew of Joanne’s ill- nesses, but they didn’t know that she’s also a breast cancer survivor. She caught it through early detection, and that is why she was always so adamant on screen- ing for early detection,” Conlin-Pereira explains. “They were able to treat it. They were able to cure her because she caught it so early.” Millen Mackenzie’s compassion, drive, and fierce commitment to helping others shaped everything she touched. “All that she did, everything that she accomplished in her life was for other people,” Conlin-Pereira says. “It made her happy to make others happy. It made her happy to help others. That’s just who she When Joanne Millen-Mackenzie passed away in 2025, Jia Conlin-Pereira took over as Event Organizer. Jia is working hard to fill the huge shoes Joanne left when she passed. Support breast cancer research with a donation today! Those interested in supporting the cause can get in touch with Jia Conlin-Pereira (truckingforacure@gmail.com) or visit Trucking for a Cure’s website (www.truckingforacure.com).Women Driving Change Magazine // 25umbrella organization that represents and works with their food bank mem- bers across Canada.” Delivering support nationwide Every child enrolled in After the Bell receives a weekly food pack for each of the eight weeks of summer. The program runs coast-to-coast, and as far north as the territories. That geographic diversity can make logistics a challenge, especially with sometimes tight delivery windows. “It’s one thing to get the food donat- ed and to get all these food packs built, but it’s another to get them distributed across the country.” Shipments happen quickly. Every- thing begins moving in late May, and deliveries run until the end of June. “This is a multi-partner project,” Sharples says. “It’s extremely well orga- nized, while being quite challenging logistically.” Despite the complexity, partners are enthusiastic about their participation. “Carriers are eager to participate. They all very much want to be part of the After the Bell delivery program,” Sharples says. “Thirty-one carriers stepped up to help deliver those food packs that were allotted to Trucks for Change to deliver in 2025.” Each carrier’s role varies depending on its capacity and routes. Some cover large regional hauls, while others handle final- mile deliveries to local food banks. Coordi- nating these assignments requires strong relationships with the main goal being keeping things simple and efficient for carrier partners. “We work very hard to make sure that everything we do with our carri- er partners aligns operationally with them, so we’re not sending anybody out of their way.” Sharples says. With input from Trucks for Change, Food Banks Canada uses strategic staging points – in Vancou- ver, Prince George, and Edmonton – before handing food pack shipments off to final-mile carriers. “Regardless of where our carriers are picking up, if we have one car- rier that’s moving to three different food banks, we’re not going to ask them to go into the shipper three charities seeking to move goods and car- riers whose existing routes or capacity can be utilized for those shipments. That approach keeps costs low, reduces disrup- tions, and ensures donated transportation goes as far as possible. “Trucks for Change is the coordinat- ing body. We don’t have any trucks, we don’t have any trailers, we don’t have any drivers – we have no assets at all to speak of. We rely on a network of very dedicated and committed transporta- tion companies to assist us with moving charitable freight.” This partners-helping-partners model has allowed Trucks for Change to develop long-standing relationships with organiza- tions such as Food Banks Canada. “We have a very strong working rela- tionship with our charity partner, Food Banks Canada,” Sharples says. “Food Banks Canada is the hen Canadian kids fin- ish the school year, many look forward to warm days, time with friends, and a break from routines. But for thousands of chil- dren who rely on in-school break- fast, lunch, and snack programs, sum- mer also brings challenges to accessing consistent, nutritious food. That’s the gap that the After the Bell program is working to close. Since its launch in 2015, the initiative, led by Food Banks Canada and supported by the trucking community through Trucks for Change, has become a lifeline for fami- lies during the two months when school doors close. In 2025, the program delivered more than 215,000 food packs to 26,875 children across the country, its largest effort to date. Behind each of those deliveries was a com- plex, tightly coordinated national logistics network powered by trucking and other companies, that volunteered their time, expertise, and equipment to move food where it was needed most. Moving goods for good causes “Trucks for Change is a very small non-profit organization that is governed by a board of directors from the trucking industry,” says Betsy Sharples, Executive Director of Trucks for Change. “We were really established to play a coordinating role between charities needing freight moved, and the industry’s very gener- ous community-minded carri- ers. These carriers have shown themselves to be able to move the freight at low, and sometimes no cost, when their operations align well with the charity’s request.” Essentially, the organiza- tion serves as a bridge between FEATURE Trucks for Change: By Kaitlin Vitt, Staff Writer W 26 // Connecting carriers with communities in needWomen Driving Change Magazine // 27 different times. We’ll try to pull them together so they can put everything on one truck.” Non-perishable food makes this work easier. “The good thing about After the Bell deliveries is that it’s all non-perishable product, so we don’t need to have any carriers with temperature-controlled equipment, which is extremely helpful,” Sharples says. “We participate in weekly meetings with Food Banks Canada, and coordinate the pickups and deliveries each week, starting in late May and con- tinuing to the end of June.” Growth in 2026 Planning begins months before any truck moves, and the expectation is that 2026 will be even bigger than previously. “There is every indication that the program will be back in 2026, and it will probably be more than the 215,000 food packs that were delivered in 2025,” Shar- ples says. As always, Trucks for Change will be ready to step in. “Each year, since 2019, Trucks for Change has committed to assisting Food Banks Can- ada with delivering these food packs to vari- ous food banks across the country.” Tracking impact and capacity Trucks for Change offers other oppor- tunities for charities to request one-time During the annual Food Sort Challenge in 2025, 70 volunteers from the Trucks for Change network and supporting sponsors sorted an impressive 25,692 meals in under three hours, surpassing the previous year’s total by more than 4,000 meals. In 2025, 31 community-minded fleets delivered 101,640 food packs to 73 food banks across the country for Food Banks Canada’s #AfterTheBell program. In addition, a team of over 70 volunteers from 12 Trucks for Change trucking and supplier partners joined forces in May 2025 to help assemble food packs for After the Bell deliveries to Canadian food banks. Photos courtesy of Trucks for Change.28 // www.womendrivingchangemagazine.ca “A few years ago, we did a shipment of wheelchairs and other mobility aids that went to seven or eight different northern communities. That took a fair amount of logistics and work in the background,” Sharples says. Food sort challenge While transportation is at the core of the work done by Trucks for Change, the organization also brings its network together for hands-on volunteer efforts that support frontline food banks. One example is the annual Food Sort Challenge at Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank. In 2025, 70 volunteers from the Trucks for Change network and support- ing sponsors sorted an impressive 25,692 meals in under three hours, surpassing the previous year’s total by more than 4,000 meals. The volunteer roster featured several industry supporters, including Abrams Towing Service, Eassons Transporta- tion Group, Erb Transport, Interna- tional Motors Canada, JD Smith Logis- tics Solutions, Kriska Transportation Group, Left Lane Associates, North- bridge Insurance, OTA Next Genera- tion, the Private Motor Truck Coun- cil of Canada Young Leaders, Polaris Transportation, Tandet, Thomson Ter- minals, and Volvo Trucks Canada. Their efforts came during a period of overwhelming need. Toronto’s food banks had reported 4.1 million visits in 2024, a 340% increase since 2019. Vol- unteer-driven sorting events help food banks keep up with demand at a time when community support had never been more critical. For Trucks for Change, these events are about more than sorting food. They strengthen the bonds within the truck- ing industry, deepen relationships with charity partners, and demonstrate that the trucking community shows up not only with trucks but with heart. That goodwill extends beyond After the Bell. Trucks for Change sup- ports other food distribution pro- grams through an ongoing partner- ship with Food Banks Canada and The For GOOD Foundation. Trucks for Change carriers have delivered 2.63 million pounds of food (more than 1,400 food orders) since their partner- ship with Food Banks Canada and The For GOOD Foundation began in May of 2023. On occasion, Trucks for Change takes on specialized humanitarian shipments as well. and occasional transportation services using an online system called MoveMa- trix. The tool broadcasts shipments to a network of carriers who can step in, offer discounted rates, and fill available capacity. “For everything that we do, wheth- er through a coordinated program like After the Bell or requests through our MoveMatrix system, we aim to track our impact as a collective, because that’s one of the things we want to do – we want to demonstrate that the trucking industry is very kind-hearted, generous, and full of goodwill.” You can support Trucks for Change! Carriers that are interested in being a part of Trucks for Change or learning more about the organization should visit the web- site (https://trucksforchange.org) or reach out to Betsy Sharples (betsy@trucksforchange.org).Women Driving Change Magazine // 29Next >