Transport Committee on March 21st, 2024

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

No, we aren't involved in that.

The LRT can easily go over the Portage bridge. It would go over it. We have to fund those studies first, however. That's where I'm saying we'll be involved.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

I'd like to talk to you about the Quebec City bridge.

The Liberal government, to which you belong, made a solemn promise during the 2015 election campaign that the Quebec City bridge file would be resolved on June 30, 2016, or else the government would not be pleased.

Seven years later, in October 2023, your party, the Liberal Party, contended that the Quebec City bridge file was about to be resolved, that it was imminent. That was in 2023. One year later, in March of this year, we thought you were coming to Quebec City with good news about the bridge, but, no, you came to tell us once again that it would be resolved imminently.

I think the only thing the Liberal government has done on this issue is add more rust to the bridge, Mr. Rodriguez.

Can you now give us a date when this file will be closed? You promised 2,821 days ago that it would be resolved, and we are now no further ahead.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

You're very impatient, and I agree with you. I'm impatient about this matter too.

We've resolved a lot of issues. One remains to be resolved with CN, and once that's done—

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Rodriguez, stop telling us things we already know. Tell us things we don't know; give us a date.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Perhaps they're things you don't know, since you're asking the question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Minister.

I now turn the floor over to Ms. Koutrakis.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks as well to the minister and all the representatives of Transport Canada for being here with us this morning.

Minister, would you agree that the investments that have been made were essential in supporting our transportation system across Canada? More particularly, would you please explain how essential those investments have been and will continue to be?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

They are absolutely essential.

It's also important to note that these funds, such as the national commercial corridors fund, are used everywhere. I looked at the list today, and earlier I mentioned that $4.1 billion is invested in the fund and that it's allocated to 213 projects.

For example, there are 12 projects in Alberta; Mr. Strahl will be interested to know that there are 52 in British Columbia. There are also projects in Manitoba and New Brunswick. I could provide committee members with the complete list of projects. However, those projects are conceived and designed strategically. We wonder where we can take action to facilitate the distribution of goods or to solve a problem that affects it.

For example, if a train passes through town and regularly blocks traffic, and we realize we're dealing with a crossing for a large number of trucks carrying a lot of containers, perhaps it would be a good idea to build a viaduct that would prevent any slowdown in train and truck traffic.

The national commercial corridors fund, whether it be for crossings or corridors as a whole, is designed, built and funded in such a way as to make those corridors more fluid and resilient because climate change exists and has impacts. Forest fires are caused by climate change. Consider the recent forest fires, for example. When the towns were evacuated, that had an impact on both people's lives and on commerce because of the road closures. Consequently, we are investing strategically to facilitate the distribution of those goods, but also to make our infrastructure more resilient so it's less affected by climate change.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Thank you for your answer, Minister.

Half of your opening remarks concerned the roads that the government has funded across the country, in rural and indigenous communities, and we heard Mr. Fraser say the same thing before you.

I'd like to give you an opportunity to explain to us why you think our honourable Conservative colleagues have demanded that you be here today.

I would honestly like to know what you think about that.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

I think it's for purely political reasons. In actual fact, the person coming to answer my colleagues' questions is Mr. Guilbeault, who will be here soon.

Since I'm here, that gives me an opportunity to talk about all the investments that also concern my colleagues. I'm thinking of Mr. Strahl and Mrs. Vien in particular. They're very glad when we invest in British Columbia and Quebec. It's good news for all Canadians.

I'm thinking once again about the pandemic and the impacts that the supply chain breaks have had on the cost of living. They are enormous. Our responsibility as the government is to mitigate those impacts on supply chains and to ensure that our trucks circulate more freely, that our trains arrive and depart on time and that our ports can operate.

That, in part, is the role that this program plays.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

I'm going to ask you the same question that one of my colleagues put to Mr. Fraser.

Is it the Canadian government's current policy not to invest in road infrastructure?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Absolutely not. We're making investments. I mentioned that more than $1 billion of the $1.4 billion in funding is earmarked for road projects. We could discuss all kinds of theoretical issues, but I actually have a complete list of projects that we've funded or are going to fund.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Ms. Koutrakis and Minister.

You are the next speaker, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval. The floor is yours for two and a half minutes.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I briefly wanted to go back to the much-talked-about train in Via Rail's regional fleet.

The Quebec government has invested $872 million to repair a section of rail between Matapédia and Gaspé that had been completely abandoned, was in poor condition and couldn't be used by Via Rail. The Quebec government took the bull by the horns and decided to fund the construction and repair of those rails so that trains can finally return to Gaspé. However, Via Rail told us it wasn't even sure it would be able to provide adequate service using its present rolling stock when that section to Gaspé is opened.

What commitment will your government make to ensure that the people of Gaspé have rail transportation and that the Quebec government hasn't invested $872 million in vain?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

As I mentioned earlier, fleet renewal is absolutely essential.

I'll ask you the question that I put to Mr. Bachrach earlier, and it's not a political one.

I'm going to ask you a question that will trigger a discussion I'd like to take part in. Perhaps it isn't a question of any interest to many Conservatives.

Wouldn't it be worth it to wait a while rather than renew our entire fleet with diesel locomotives? I don't know.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I have the answer to your question.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

I'm listening, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I believe that hybrid technology is already available. There are also electric technologies for trains.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

No, I've already asked that question.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Technologies that can address the issue are nevertheless currently available.

I also wanted to address another topic because I don't have a lot of time.

We discussed the Gatineau LRT and Via Rail's regional fleet. We also discussed the lack of federal investment. I don't think there's enough investment, and we're actually still waiting for it. I also saw that the Quebec government complained yesterday that your government was planning no public transit investment for the next three years, and that's troubling them. It's also troubling the transit companies, and not just the Société de transport de Montréal, but other transit companies elsewhere in Canada as well. They've written to you to express their concerns because the public transit sector isn't doing well right now.

In the circumstances, do you think your government will have to do more to help them? What we're seeing is that everyone thinks you're not doing enough for the sector.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

I assume you also put that question to my colleague because it concerns Infrastructure—

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

No, I'm talking about public transit.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Yes, but my department is responsible for this issue. It's Infrastructure Canada's responsibility.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

But you're the Quebec lieutenant.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

You can of course speak to me in my capacity as Quebec lieutenant…

We're investing and will continue to invest massively, and I've discussed public transit funding with my Quebec counterpart, Geneviève Guilbault. However, you'll have to put that question to my colleague. I also recently announced some public transit projects together with Ms. Guilbault.