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

ted.mackay@tc.gc.ca