The Ontario government is preparing to send undercover investigators into driver training schools across the province amid ongoing concerns about fraud, falsified records, and improperly trained commercial drivers.

According to a procurement notice posted by the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario is seeking vendors to provide "regulatory compliance audit and mystery shop services" to identify and address fraud and non-compliance among organizations that deliver driver training and testing programs. The services would operate year-round across Ontario during the 2027-28 fiscal year.

The move comes after years of scandals involving Ontario's commercial driver training industry.

A 2025 audit found some ministry-approved truck driving schools were accrediting students who had not completed the mandatory 103.5 hours of entry-level training required for a Class A licence. Investigators found instances where schools could not produce records proving students completed required training, employed unqualified instructors, or had students sign off on hours that were never delivered. Undercover students enrolled by auditors were offered significantly less training than legally required.

Fraud has also resulted in criminal convictions. In November 2025, two Ontario truck driving school operators were convicted of fraud and forgery offences after falsifying Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) records. A jury found they had issued fraudulent training documentation used to obtain commercial licences.

The problem extends beyond training schools. Earlier this year, police charged eight men in connection with an alleged bribery scheme involving commercial driver road tests in the Greater Toronto Area and Kingston. Investigators alleged the scheme helped individuals obtain commercial licences through fraudulent means rather than legitimate testing.

Ontario has also suspended commercial licences obtained through suspected fraudulent training and testing practices. Industry groups have warned that weak oversight allows some schools to function as credential mills, rapidly pushing students through the system while cutting corners on safety training.

The province's decision to employ mystery shoppers suggests regulators believe some schools are concealing non-compliant practices from inspectors and that traditional audits alone are insufficient to uncover the full extent of the problem.

If Ontario feels compelled to go undercover to catch fraudulent driver training, how many inadequately trained drivers may already be on the road?