Download - TBWG – Ottawa Update
TBWG – Ottawa UpdateQuebec City, October 28, 2010
Ted Mackay, Transport Canada
Overview
• New Minister
• Parliamentary Update
• Council of the Federation
• Economic Action Plan Overview
• Economic Update
• Recent Studies and Reports
• DRIC
New Minister• The Honourable Chuck
Strahl, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
• Member of Parliament since 1993
• Early start to building relations with U.S. – Bi-laterals with LaHood and
Napolitano
Parliamentary Update (308 seats)
Liberals (76) NDP (36)Bloc Québecois (48)
Conservatives (143) Independents (2)
Source: Wikipedia, Internet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40th_Canadian_Parliament
Vacant (3)
Council of the Federation
“Federal investment in technology, infrastructure and human resources at borders is critical to ensuring traffic flows as efficiently as possible.”
-Council of the Federation
Economic Action Plan - Overview
• Sixth report to Canadians released Sept. 27– http://actionplan.gc.ca/eng/
feature.asp?pageId=189
• Over 22,500 projects underway or completed– 97% of total
• In 2010-11, $22 billion in federal stimulus funding complemented by $7 billion from provinces, territories, municipalities, other partners
Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (September 2010)
• All of the $4 billion funding available for projects has now been committed – Approximately 4,000 projects, representing a total
investment of $10B, have been approved– Road and Highway projects: over $1.2B in federal
funds committed to 1,480 projects across Canada– Transit: $255.8M in federal funding for 68 transit
projects with a total project cost of $721.7M• Fund ends March 31, 2011
Economic and Fiscal Update
• Economic and fiscal update presented by Minister of Finance October 12
• Federal deficit $55.6B (2009 – 10)
• Balanced budget target of 2015-16 on track
• Overall, Canada in best fiscal situation in G7
Economic Update
•Moderate growth in the next few years but uncertainty remains
•Unemployment rate at 8%; 423,000 jobs created since July 2009
Recent Transport and Border Studies and Reports• National Highway System Condition Report (Council of
Ministers of Transport of Canada)• Transportation in Canada - Annual Report (TC)• Canada-U.S. Relations: No time for Complacency
(Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute)• Congestion Pricing Options for Southbound Freight at
Pac Highway (BPRI)• A Matter of Trust (C. D. Howe Institute)• Canada-United States Border Survey (Statistics
Canada )
Canada-United States Border SurveyConducted over last two years, released March 2010
– Source: Statistics Canada website
• What was the most important border issue when exporting to the U.S. in 2008?– Paperwork - 34%– Costs - 18%– Border delays – 11%– Differences between U.S. and Canadian regulations – 9%– Uncertainty about border delays – 8%– NAFTA rules of origin regulation – 8%
Latest Cross-Border Traffic statistics - PBOA
• Overall increase of 5.61% in combined truck and passenger vehicles, at PBOA members, 2010 over 2009
• Significant growth in truck traffic at Ambassador (21%), Blue Water (13%), Peace (11%)
• However, traffic is not back to 2007 or 2008 levels
• Based on economic forecasts, slow growth in bridge and other cross-border traffic expected
Detroit River International Crossing
• Environmental approvals are in place on both sides of the border
• Pursuing a public-private partnership (P3) for crossing and plaza
• Financing for Ontario access road – Windsor-Essex Parkway
Questions?
Ted Mackay,
Director, Highway and Border Policy
Transport Canada
613-991-5981
