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TBWG – Ottawa Update. Quebec 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.
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TBWG – Ottawa Update Quebec 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) Bloc Québecois (48) NDP (36) Vacant (3) Conservatives (143) Independents (2) Source: Wikipedia, Internet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40th_Canadian_Parliament
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 Survey Conducted 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 ted.mackay@tc.gc.ca