annette gibbons, director general, surface transportation policy, transport canada november 2, 2011...

16
Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

Upload: lorraine-harris

Post on 18-Dec-2015

223 views

Category:

Documents


3 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

Annette Gibbons, Director General,

Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada

November 2, 2011

Ottawa Update

Page 2: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Elections

2. Canada and the World

3. Gateways Update

4. Key Current Files

2

Page 3: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

ELECTIONS• Majority Conservative Government elected, May 2, 2011• Several provincial / territorial elections held across the country

• Ontario, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Yukon, Northwest Territories

Seating plan at the beginning of the Parliament, reflecting the 2011 election results

Conservatives (166)

New Democrats (103)

Liberals (34)

Bloc Québécois (4)

Green Party (1)

3

Page 4: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

NEW MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND COMMUNITIES

• The Honourable Denis Lebel

• First elected to House of Commons

in 2007

• Former mayor, Roberval, Quebec

4

Page 5: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

CANADA AND THE WORLD

• Convergence of global and domestic pressures are shifting the conditions for future success:

– Restrained demand growth in U.S.– Strong Canadian dollar and rising energy prices– Increased international competition– Global financial uncertainty– Budget 2012 – Expected federal fiscal restraint

5

Page 6: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

CANADA AND THE WORLD

Strategic Opportunities for Transport Canada:

• Ensuring policy frameworks respond effectively to global market trends and support trade growth

• Facilitating trade through transportation infrastructure investments

• Advancing the Gateways policy as an economic competitiveness strategy

• Actively engaging Michigan and the U.S. on the new Windsor–Detroit bridge

6

Page 7: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

Airport

* Major Container Ports

Prince Rupert

Vancouver

Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative

Ontario-Quebec Continental Gateway and Trade Corridor

Atlantic Gateway

Montreal

Windsor

Halifax

GATEWAYS UPDATE

7

Page 8: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

ASIA-PACIFIC GATEWAY AND CORRIDOR

• Since 2006 launch, significant progress has been made :– Federal investment of $1.4B leveraged $3.5B in public-

private investments for – 47 priority infrastructure projects have benefited from

funding

• Going forward, the Asia-Pacific Gateway focus is to…– Continue to implement the APGCI mandate

– Address more systematic improvements

– Continue to support areas providing high-efficiency gains with modest investments,

8

Page 9: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

ATLANTIC GATEWAY AND TRADE CORRIDOR

$250 million has been committed to infrastructure investments from the federal Gateways and Border Crossings Fund (GBCF). With provincial and private sector contributions, this leverages a total of $600 million for Atlantic Canada infrastructure investments

$5 million was committed from the GBCF to support Atlantic Gateway strategic international marketing activities

Released in March 2011, the Strategy is an action plan balancing immediate measures and longer-term directions designed to focus ongoing efforts by all public and private sector partners toward the optimization of Atlantic Canada’s transportation systems in support of international trade.

9

Page 10: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

CONTINENTAL GATEWAY

• Federal accomplishments since 2007:

• Nearly $4 billion has been committed to infrastructure investments in Ontario and Quebec by the federal government to support the Continental Gateway

• Key infrastructure investments & commitments in Ontario include:

$1.0 billion Windsor-Detroit Crossing

$10M Blue Water Bridge

$62M Queenston-Lewiston Bridge

$29.9M Highway 8 - Kitchener

$1.0M Peace Bridge Plaza

$10.1M Windsor Port Authority

10

Page 11: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

CONTINENTAL GATEWAY

• Federal accomplishments since 2007:

• Policy, regulatory and other measures: – Modified Tariff rules regarding customs treatment of imported cargo containers– Elimination of 25% duty on certain foreign-built vessels– Amendments to the Canada Marine Act– Blue Sky Policy/bilateral air liberalization (ongoing)

• Business environment: creating the right conditions for trade and growth:

– Elimination of many manufacturing tariffs -- Tariff-Free Zone for manufacturers– Free trade agreements under negotiation, e.g., European Union, India

• “Partners are currently working together

towards releasing the strategy.”

-Minister Denis Lebel11

Page 12: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

OTHER KEY PRIORITIES

• Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) / NITC– Canada fully committed to a new bridge between Windsor and Detroit

– Continue to explore options for delivering new crossing with Michigan and U.S.

• Rail Freight Service Review– 6 month facilitation process on service agreements and a commercial dispute

resolution process between railways and stakeholders

• Canada-U.S. Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness– Tremendous work to identify specific initiatives for the Action Plan

– Transport Canada and CBSA have been an integral part of the process

– Waiting for release by Leaders

12

Page 13: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

OTHER KEY PRIORITIES

• Regulatory Cooperation Council – Also announced February 4 by the Prime Minister and President

– Objective: “…better align our regulatory approaches… make it easier for Canadian and American firms to do business on both sides of the border…”

• “Smart Corridors” / Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)– Working with Quebec and Ontario to develop a suite of technological

transportation solutions along strategic corridors

• Cost of Compliance for Canada-U.S. Trans-Border Trucking– Costs of complying with border rules and analysis of transit times at key

crossings

– Expected completion: early 2012

13

Page 14: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

OTHER KEY PRIORITIES• New Long-Term Infrastructure Plan

– Budget 2011 commitment:

– Key challenges to address: – Infrastructure deficit

– Fostering economic growth and competitiveness

– Social well-being

– Greater private sector involvement and P3s / innovative financing

– Consultations will begin soon with provinces and other stakeholders

“The Government will work with provinces, territories, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and other stakeholders to develop a long-term plan for public infrastructure that extends beyond the expiry of the Building Canada plan.”

14

Page 15: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

CONCLUSION

• The efforts of the TBWG are appreciated by Ottawa

• The relationships, collaboration, and information-sharing that the TBWG facilitates are highly valued

• The TBWG will continue to be important to our future joint Canada-U.S. border transportation efforts

• Thank-you and keep up the good work!

15

Page 16: Annette Gibbons, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Transport Canada November 2, 2011 Ottawa Update

Questions?

Annette Gibbons,

Director General, Surface Transportation Policy

Transport Canada

[email protected]

16