Transport Committee on May 13th, 2014

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Thank you.

Mr. Braid, you get the last question.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I also wanted to present the final question on this issue of tolls for the new bridge over the St. Lawrence as well.

Ms. Pham, I only have one question so it's going to be a two-part question. It's still one question, Mr. Chair, I assure you. It's a two-part question on tolls.

You mentioned you're studying other tolls that exist in the city of Montreal. Could you explain those other tolls? The second part of the question is how will the revenue raised from the tolls be used vis-à-vis the new bridge?

[Thao Pham]

Mr. Chairman, I will answer in general terms, and then I'll ask Mr. Brazeau to add to my answers.

The first one is looking at the toll rates in the greater Montreal area. Two autoroutes, the 25 and the 30, are toll roads. We are looking at the way the toll system is working there, and how the rate was established.

With respect to the second part of your question on revenues, the Government of Canada will retain all the risks relating to revenue. That means we will make payments to the private partner, but the private partner will not assume the risk based on volume.

With that, I'm going to turn to Marc so he can add to the answer.

[Marc Brazeau]

For a little bit more precision, the tolls for Highway 30 are established at $2 right now, and $2.84 for Highway 25.

The revenues that are raised—the mechanics are being developed right now—will likely go into the consolidated revenue fund. With the partnership agreement, the Government of Canada will have set payments that need to be made to the private sector partner. These will be established in that agreement for the next 30 years. Revenues from tolling get into the government. We pay through payment mechanisms.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You have a point of order, Mr. McGuinty, on what?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

On a point of order, through you, Mr. Chair, many of us have referred to different analyses that have been conducted by this partnership around the bridge. I'm wondering if, through you, we could ask these witnesses to table the analysis that's been conducted thus far with respect to the distributive effects of the building of this new bridge, the toll system that will be imposed on this bridge, and the effects on existing bridges, existing roadways, and public transit.

I think we would all benefit from a closer examination of the analysis performed up until now, even though I think we've heard here that very little analysis appears to have been done.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Based on what I've heard, Mr. McGuinty, I think it's a project in progress. As you say, there really isn't anything—

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Why don't we ask the witnesses?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We can do that.

Ms. Pham, do you want to speak to that?

[Thao Pham]

Chair, with reference to the analysis, that information is still confidential at this stage, so we cannot make it public. It will be made public once the project agreement is signed. Rest assured, however, that we are working on refining the models. We are working with partners. As I've indicated before, the project is moving forward. We have reached many important milestones, and we will continue to do so.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Thank you, Ms. Pham.

I'd like to thank all of our witnesses for being here today. I appreciate your answers and presentations. The committee does have some committee business to do, so we'll excuse you, and we'll carry on.

Thank you.

Mr. Watson, we'll go back to you.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you, Chair. I will reread the motion in a moment, but on the point of risk analysis, obviously that's an important consideration. Say the Liberal member's brother were to build a gas plant in Mississauga or Oakville, then before tearing it down, it would be important to know what the risk analysis was to the community.

Having said that, I move;

That, following its consideration of the subject matter of clauses 212 to 233 and 375 of Bill C-31, the Committee send a letter, in both official languages, to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance informing him that the Committee has no amendments to propose.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You've heard Mr. Watson's motion.

Mr. Sullivan.

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

On division.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I haven't asked for the vote yet, but it has been indicated by Mr. Sullivan that the motion will pass on division. Mr. McGuinty is agreeing.

(Motion agreed to on division)

As far as committee business goes, the first report from the subcommittee is being handed out. That was a meeting we had last Thursday.

While everyone is receiving that, I just wanted to report that as per this report—

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Are we in camera, Mr. Chair? Don't we normally conduct committee business in private?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We're not. Sometimes we do. Are you moving that motion?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

No, I'm just asking. As a matter of course, we've done it since I've been on this committee.

Please go ahead. I don't mean to interrupt you. I just thought there was an inconsistency there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

If I don't hear a motion to move there, Mr. McGuinty....

For Thursday, the meeting on liability was recommended in the report. I know that anybody who's at that meeting will get that. We're still waiting for some responses. We've had three people decline for that day. Lloyd's, Western Canadian Shippers Coalition, and the Insurance Bureau of Canada have confirmed. We have the Canadian Transportation Agency, and during the meeting, we had confirmation from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, or FCM.

With that, I'd entertain a motion to accept the report.

That's moved by Mr. Watson. Is there any discussion on the motion?

Mr. McGuinty, did you have a comment?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Can you move the motion again, Mr. Chair?

I'm sorry, but that was too fast for me. I wasn't sure what you were saying.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

I move that the subcommittee report be adopted.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Thank you very much.

The meeting is adjourned.