Transport Committee on March 25th, 2014

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

The NDP wants to generate $21 billion in new tax revenue to pay for things like the bridge.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Okay, that's fine. Thank you.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Our government has cut taxes 160 times since the beginning—

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

I am going to give the rest of my time to my colleague, Mr. Sullivan.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Chair, I was asked a question.

On the very first day, we announced a $3-billion to $5-billion investment in the only province in Canada where the federal government owns bridges. We are going to pay for this bridge with tolls.

Obviously the NDP relies on the carbon tax to generate $21 billion in new spending money. We, however, prefer to cut taxes, not raise them.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Unbelievable. That wasn't an answer, minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You have 35 seconds for your question.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

I have a very quick question. The finance minister, in his 2013 budget, said, “we will ensure that government contracts and funding for infrastructure and maintenance support the employment of apprentices."

We have not heard anything more from any part of the government since that time. We have been trying in Toronto to get the local provincial Liberal government to actually support the employment of apprentices on major infrastructure projects with no success.

How is it that the federal government will actually achieve the hiring of apprentices?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

We'll do that in the partnership that's in the provincial-territorial component of the plan and we will continue to work with our partners. That's our goal.

Everybody in the country knows we need more workers. We need some new workers and we have to create for them opportunities to learn and to become better workers. That's what we'll do with this plan, and that's in partnership with provinces and territories.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Thank you.

Mr. Komarnicki for five minutes.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

We've heard in the news a lot about the safety of bridges. Before I get into my specific questions that relate more to my constituency, could you perhaps highlight the various ways our government has ensured the safety of federal bridges in Montreal?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

It's essential to bear in mind the way we've approached this project. Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated is doing a very thorough job. The work is happening at the front end. The reason that the reports coming in were written before problems were identified has to do with the fact that we are being proactive.

There is no doubt that the bridge is getting old and isn't ageing well. Today, the bridge needs daily monitoring and checks. It's probably the most monitored bridge in the country. With the help of sensors, numerous checks are done every single day. We have experts doing those checks. Our government is investing what it has to to keep the Champlain Bridge safe.

As for the Honoré-Mercier Bridge, which we are half owner of, we've had an action plan in place to ensure its integrity for a few years now. Repairs on the federal government's portion of the bridge are well under way. We have to work with our partner, the Government of Quebec, which owns the other half of the bridge. Last year, for instance, the Quebec government's half of the bridge needed repairing, and those repairs were done by a federal organization, which delayed the work being done on our half of the bridge. Nevertheless, we are working diligently to ensure that the Honoré-Mercier Bridge, too, remains in proper condition to meet the needs of the population.

We are full owners of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. Work is done regularly to keep it in good repair. A significant amount was earmarked in the last budget for that ongoing work, a total of $380 million.

So we are being extremely diligent to make absolutely certain that when a federally owned bridge is in operation, it is safe.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Thank for you for those assurances, Minister. I certainly appreciate that.

With respect to the new building Canada plan, small communities under 1,000 certainly appreciate having that particular category. The question that I have heard from some municipalities is are they restricted to that particular fund, or can they also apply under the provincial-territorial fund? If they do, do they have to establish a regional component to it or not? Could they take the same project and have it apply to either one?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

For sure they can apply on the rest of the provincial-territorial plan, but there are different systems in different provinces. I'll give the example of Quebec where you can't, if you're a city councillor or a mayor, depose your plan directly to the federal government. You have to go through the province. We have to respect the jurisdiction and the way provinces are managing that. The money for the provincial-territorial plan is available for small communities, and depending on the region of the country, the province of the country, there are different systems. But they know how it works in their own province and this one is available for them.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

So they're not restricted just to the small community fund.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Absolutely not. They already know they have the gas tax fund. What's more, they have the $1 billion reserve in the PT program for them. They can apply for the rest of the provincial-territorial program.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

There's another aspect, which is you don't see the money allocated here today, but many of the projects are yet to be applied for and to be completed and the funding won't come until some later time. It's understandable why you wouldn't have the funding allocated today, because it's a process.

Some communities indicate that in their consideration for major projects, there's a timing issue with respect to engineering and there's a timing issue for other aspects. They've said that if they have a project in mind and when the application process opens, they may not be ready to proceed in the 2014 construction season, but they may proceed in 2015, 2016 or 2017. They've asked whether they are able to apply in 2014 for their particular project, knowing they may not start in 2014, but maybe in 2015 or 2016. Are they able to put those in for consideration? Have those rules been worked out yet, or is that something that's still being developed?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

I will ask the deputy minister to repeat how it works to be sure we all understand how it works.

[Louis Lévesque]

As of April 1 the government intends to have the plan open for business. This means that projects will be identified, prioritized by municipalities, provinces, and the federal government. Obviously, smaller projects tend to proceed much faster than bigger projects because they're less complex, but as soon as projects are approved, the municipalities or the provinces can get on with the work. As soon as they have interim eligible expenses and the proof of those expenses are provided to the federal government, reimbursement can begin.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Let me put a specific question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Your time has expired, Mr. Komarnicki.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

It couldn't have, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Well, magically, it did.

We are getting to the end of our time here, but I'm going to give two and a half minutes to Mr. Mai and two and a half minutes to Mr. Watson.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Before I use my time, Mr. Chair, we have all the officials here today. I understand that the minister has to go. He has been here for a long time, but after that, for the second hour, could I ask that we have the officials here so we can ask questions of them directly?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I think I would need their approval to stay, but if there's consent around the table.... When notice of the meeting went out it was for an hour, so—