Conquer Transportation Inc., an Alberta-based trucking firm, is currently under intense scrutiny following a fatal May 27 collision in Brandon, Manitoba, that claimed the life of a 49-year-old woman. Investigations have revealed that the company possesses a high-risk safety profile and operates as a successor to a Manitoba firm that had its own safety certification revoked in 2021 due to significant non-compliance and a record of 30 convictions across five provinces.
Did You Know? Before having its certification pulled in 2021, the Manitoba-based Conquer Transport saw its performance score climb to 275 per cent, more than five times the threshold that triggers a mandatory review of a company’s safety operations.
The Risk Profile of Conquer Transportation
As of April, Alberta transportation records identified Conquer Transportation Inc. as one of the highest-risk carriers in the province. Out of more than 18,000 registered companies, Conquer ranked among the 225 with the most concerning safety profiles. While the industry standard risk profile is approximately 0.35, the company held a rating of 3.9 on a scale that extends past four.
Robert Harper, president of the Alberta Motor Transport Association, described the rating as “pretty bad” and anticipates the assessment will worsen following the investigation into the Brandon collision. Between 2023 and 2025, the company faced six convictions across three provinces, including instances of maintenance violations and the use of false or “two” logs.
Enforcement Gaps and “Chameleon” Carriers
The incident has intensified calls for a national database to track trucking companies that attempt to evade safety regulations by rebranding. Marc Cadieux, a board member with the Canadian Trucking Alliance, described these entities as “chameleon” carriers—firms that lose their permits in one jurisdiction only to re-emerge elsewhere under a different name. According to Cadieux, these practices allow companies to continue neglecting maintenance and employing undertrained drivers.
Manitoba Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor has requested that the federal transportation minister take action against such operators. She is advocating for a national registry to flag safety issues, specifically when a company has had its certification rescinded or possesses a history of repeat bad behavior. Barry Prentice, director of the Transport Institute at the University of Manitoba, noted that the “tremendous decentralization” of the Canadian trucking industry makes it difficult to effectively monitor these “bad apples” as they move between provinces.
What May Happen Next
Alberta Transportation has not confirmed whether it will pull the company’s permits following the fatal crash, though a department spokesperson stated they would take “decisive action without hesitation” if the carrier’s involvement is confirmed. The department is currently working with the Brandon Police Service and Manitoba’s motor carrier enforcement unit.
Industry leaders, including Harper, suggest that a revocation of certification is a likely outcome once the investigation concludes. Meanwhile, provincial authorities in Manitoba and Alberta continue to share information regarding the company’s history, as they have done since discovering the firm’s re-emergence in Alberta in 2022.
Expert Insight: The challenge here isn’t just the existence of high-risk operators, but the systemic inability to bridge provincial oversight gaps. When a carrier can shed its regulatory history by crossing a provincial border, the safety of the public becomes a national, rather than provincial, liability. Establishing a centralized registry would be a significant step toward closing the loopholes that allow these companies to cycle through jurisdictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Conquer Transport lose its Manitoba certification in 2021?
The province revoked the certificate due to “ongoing deficiencies in safe operation and non-compliance,” following a period where the company had accumulated 30 convictions across five provinces.
What is a “chameleon” carrier?
As defined by Marc Cadieux of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, it refers to companies that lose their permits in one jurisdiction and then open a new corporation in another province under a different name to continue operating.
How has the company responded to these allegations?
Paramjit Dhaliwal, the former director of operations for the Manitoba entity, stated he has not been involved in the business since 2021 and claimed he was “fed up” with the “headaches” of frequent inspections. CBC News reported that multiple accounts associated with the company did not respond to inquiries.
Do you believe a national registry for trucking companies would effectively prevent high-risk operators from moving between provinces?
