By Dori Modney with files supplied by TEAM Alberta and Alberta agriculture

Training issues continue as deadline nears for farm MELT program

Feb 10, 2021 | 11:43 AM

CALGARY, AB. — Agriculture’s Team Alberta, is making every effort to get the word out. They want to ensure farmers are aware of the approaching March 1, 2021 deadline, to complete required testing for the Class 1 Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) equivalency under the Alberta Transportation farmer and farm worker extension program.

Team Alberta, which consists of Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola, Alberta Pulse Growers and the Alberta Wheat Commission, is aware of multiple concerns that farmers and farm workers are experiencing related to completing the training and testing before the deadline.

Together with other provincial producer groups across the agricultural sector, Team Alberta has been actively working with Alberta Transportation to find solutions.

The group has heard concerns going back to the summer of 2020, related to lengthy training waiting times, testing limitations, and equipment and language barriers. Other concerns include lack of sufficient training and testing capacity and other systematic issues.

The issues have been relayed to Alberta Transportation and the group is in regular communication as they work to reduce the barriers.

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Those who need to complete their MELT road test before March 1, should contact Alberta Transportation to book your road test date.

If you’re a farmer or farm worker who successfully applied to the extension program and are experiencing issues with training and testing in this timeframe, here are some steps to take:

1. Contact Alberta Transportation

General Contact Information for Scheduling
Road Tests Assistance:
Online Booking Website: https://eservices.alberta.ca/book-a-drivers-road-test.html
Email: driverexaminations@gov.ab.ca
Phone: 780-427-8230
(toll-free by first dialing 310-0000)

2. Contact your MLA

To ensure concerns are being heard broadly, you can write or phone your Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). If you do not know who your MLA is, find them using the link here.

3 Reach out to the crop commissions for further information

— Shannon Sereda – ssereda@albertawheatbarley.com — Karla Bergstrom – karla@albertacanola.com — Nevin Rosaasen – nrosaasen@albertpulse.com