It’s an exciting time for RST Sunbury! Their recruitment team has just returned from a week long recruiting trip to Kiev, Ukraine and Warsaw, Poland. This year, the company is looking to on-board 60 new drivers to its Sunbury fleet and it’s relying on international recruitment to fill about 20% of that need.

If successful, the trip will result in the Sunbury team bringing three waves of four drivers to Canada in April, June and September of 2020. The newcomers will have a strong support network on arrival; the company maintains an active settlement steering committee, a buddy system, and provides extensive classroom training to all new drivers.

“We’re thrilled drivers are choosing RST Sunbury and New Brunswick to call home,” says Stacey Miller, Director of Human Resources for the trucking company, “As a Top Fleet Employer, we are committed to growing the careers of new drivers and supporting their families in Canada.”

RST Sunbury is no stranger to welcoming newcomers to Canada. In 2019, the company welcomed 28 new Canadian drivers – and many established Canadians – to its fleets. Originally from Israel, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, India and Canada, they brought a wealth of experience to the fleets and contributed to a successful year.

The company was recognized for its work to drive openness and inclusivity in its fleets, both by Trucking HR Canada with a 2019 Top Fleet Employer Award, and by the Trucking Human Resource Sector Council, with a ‘Building a Diverse Workforce’ award.

It’s Who We Are

Our ability to welcome newcomers to Canada – welcoming the unique experiences and skill sets they bring – is one of our greatest strengths and responsibilities at J.D. Irving, Limited. Across our member business, you find many international recruitment initiatives and heartwarming stories of our teams going above and beyond to make New Canadians feel at home.

Over the holidays, a great story emerged from our Woodlands team in Sussex, New Brunswick where several families were gifted Christmas trees, presents and decorations for their first Christmases in Canada.

Our Woodlands Division began recruiting international forest operators and truck drivers in 2016. Recruitment trips began with 2 countries, Romania and Scotland, and have now grown to 8 countries throughout Europe and South America. The program successfully recruited quality of drivers and operators, and increased attendance at recruitment events.  In many cities, the appointments are filled before the Woodlands team leave Canada.

So far over 70 operators have come to New Brunswick through this program with many bringing their families with them.  These new Canadians are vital to our operations and with their families they are helping to grow communities that have seen declining populations.