House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2019, with 49% of the vote.
Government Programs January 31st, 2020
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate, we always welcome public and parliamentary oversight of our historic infrastructure program.
Investments in clean infrastructure, public transit and building resilient communities are investments in our culture. They create jobs and help grow our economy to offer our children a healthier future. We are going to stay the course.
Government Programs January 31st, 2020
Madam Speaker, we have always said that openness and transparency are hallmarks of our government.
We welcome public and parliamentary scrutiny of our infrastructure program. The only failure was the Conservatives' campaign pledge to cut infrastructure investments.
I would like to know what the member opposite would like to cut. Is it the Montreal metro blue line, the Quebec City tramway, the Champlain Bridge or investments in affordable housing?
Infrastructure January 31st, 2020
Madam Speaker, we are working with Quebec. We have already launched 10 projects in Quebec to make communities more resilient. We have projects all across Quebec, including the blue line in Montreal, the tramway in Quebec and the Champlain Bridge. We are working with Quebec and we will continue to do so. We do indeed need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and make our communities more resilient.
Infrastructure January 31st, 2020
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. Of course we are delivering on our commitment to invest in Quebec and the rest of the country. We are investing in green infrastructure. We are investing to ensure that our communities are more resilient. We are investing to create more public transit. There are many projects in Quebec.
We will continue to do so. We will continue working with Quebec and the municipalities.
Infrastructure January 30th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I hope the opposition member recognizes that it is up to the Government of Quebec to submit projects to us and that we are still waiting for this one.
However, I would like to talk abut what we have done in Quebec. We are investing in the Montreal metro blue line, the Quebec City tramway, the Champlain Bridge, affordable housing and many other projects. We are here for Quebec.
We are here to build our country, create jobs and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
Infrastructure January 30th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I thank the opposition member for his question.
Since no project has been submitted to us as yet, there is no decision for us to make.
Business of Supply January 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I also congratulate my opposition colleague on his election.
We are definitely working with the provinces and territories. That is vital to the projects and investments we are undertaking. We are working with the Province of Quebec on municipal files such as Montreal's blue line, the Quebec City tramway, the Champlain Bridge and affordable housing, to name but a few. Of course it is very important. I have already had the chance to talk to my counterpart. In fact, I have many counterparts in Quebec, and I will continue to work with them.
Business of Supply January 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, openness and transparency are hallmarks of our government. We certainly welcome parliamentary and public scrutiny.
On the project that the member has asked about with respect to the Cowichan Valley, I am happy to speak with him. We are looking at ways to ensure we can support municipalities facing the huge impacts of climate change. We want to enhance programs to ensure they are accessible for municipalities. This sounds like a project that is worth pursuing. I am happy to work with the member opposite.
Business of Supply January 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, our government is open and transparent, and we welcome public and parliamentary oversight of our historic infrastructure program, the investing in Canada plan. I am actually pleased to see that members opposite are now taking an interest in our investments to grow the economy, build better communities and fight climate change.
I would like to point out that, during the last election campaign, the Conservatives said they would slash $18 million from our infrastructure investments. Canadians, in contrast, decided to move forward and invest in a better future for their children and grandchildren. Canadians want to know which projects the Conservatives would like to cancel. Will it be Montreal's blue line, the Quebec City tramway, the Champlain Bridge or affordable housing?
Business of Supply January 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today to our government's commitment to building strong, sustainable communities that will benefit Canadians for generations.
As the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, I have three main priorities. First is to work with provinces, territories and municipalities, as well as indigenous peoples, to get projects built quickly that improve the quality of life for all Canadians. Second is to build projects that grow our economy, create jobs and boost Canada's productivity. Third is to ensure that our projects help build a low-carbon and more resilient future.
There is one thing I know when it comes to infrastructure: When Canada builds, Canada grows. There is hard data to back this up. The finance minister's task force on the economy identified infrastructure as the most powerful driver of growth and productivity in both the short and long term, growing local economies, growing the Canadian economy and creating good jobs from coast to coast to coast. Countless studies have pointed to infrastructure investments as one of the best ways to prepare for the economy of the future. As we face the stark reality of climate change and how to manage it, we know there is also an enormous economic opportunity staring us in the face.
As former governor of the Bank of Canada Mark Carney has said repeatedly, the new lower-carbon economy is worth trillions and trillions of dollars. Building clean, smart, sustainable and resilient infrastructure will put Canada on the front foot as we manage the transition to a low-carbon economy. The benefits are obvious. It begins with improving the lives of Canadians.
Our infrastructure investments are improving Canadians' quality of life, creating jobs, growing our economy and building a healthier, more climate-resilient future. Just think of the Montreal metro blue line, the Quebec City tramway, the Champlain Bridge and affordable housing across the country.
Consider the Gordie Howe bridge between Windsor and Detroit. It is a key economic corridor that will transform the movement of goods between Canada and our most important trading partner, the United States. That is a smart investment in future growth, something I am proud our government supports.
Public transit is a huge part of what we do at Infrastructure Canada. It is key to a more sustainable economy. It is critical to supporting growth in our cities. It is about getting people around faster, cleaner and cheaper. Our government has committed $28 billion to public transit.
We are funding important projects right across the country, from the Millennium Line in Vancouver to electric buses in Guelph. Just a couple of weeks ago I was in Guelph, Ontario, to help announce the city's green transit project. This will replace 35 diesel buses with long-range electric buses, as well as install on-route charging stations. This funding will also help purchase an additional 30 electric buses and build a new bus storage facility fitted with electric charging stations.
The opportunity to electrify bus fleets across Canada is huge. It is why we have committed to help public transit authorities procure up to 5,000 electric buses for their fleets over the next five years. Guess what. We have companies right here in Canada that can help meet that demand. Last week, I saw first-hand in Winnipeg the amazing work that New Flyer is doing in bringing electric buses to market.
Nova Bus is another international leader in the electric bus technology market. STM, the Société de transport de Montréal, has already implemented an electric bus pilot project and will shortly be putting more electric buses in service later this year. Quebec is a leader in Canada when it comes to electric vehicles.
The government is working with Quebec and other partners, such as Hydro-Québec, to install charging stations across Quebec. In fact, by the end of the year, Quebec will have more public charging stations than gas stations. Let us not forget the investments made by the Canada Infrastructure Bank. In Montreal, projects like the Réseau express métropolitain and the Contrecœur port will increase productivity, reduce pollution, transportation and commute times, and, ultimately, get people and goods to where they need to go faster.
Some communities have seen the future of clean infrastructure and are doing amazing things right now, and it is not just big cities. Summerside, P.E.I., with a population of 15,000, is one example.
I had the opportunity to visit there just a few weeks ago. With the help of our government, the province and the private sector, the city is moving forward to build its own solar energy farm and storage facility. This project will allow Summerside to meet nearly two-thirds of its electricity needs through renewable energy, as well as reduce carbon emissions by 21,000 tonnes a year. It is also creating good jobs in Summerside and helping to grow a clean, local economy. That is green infrastructure in action, making lives better for the people of Summerside and reducing emissions for Canada and the world.
There is also the stuff we cannot see but that makes the lives of Canadians better.
In Ottawa, a major project is under way that almost nobody really knows about, but for those who use the Ottawa River, it will ensure that water is cleaner for swimming, drinking and fishing. The combined sewage storage tunnel, a federal, provincial and municipal partnership, will allow the city to largely eliminate the discharge of sewage into the Ottawa River after a big rainstorm. With climate change, we know that severe weather events are more and more common. For our government, those are $62 million well spent.
There are projects like this one right across the country.
In Fredericton, New Brunswick, we are investing in flood protection. Once complete, this project will help protect over 27,500 residents within a 12 square kilometre area. The city says that it will reduce the number of people directly affected by future flooding by 83%. It is also expected to provide long-term savings in recovery and replacement costs for people, government and businesses. These are important investments that will ensure people's communities are resilient.
I have highlighted a few specific projects today, but the reality is I could talk all afternoon about the thousands of projects our government has funded.
To date, Infrastructure Canada has invested in 4,700 projects across the country, making a real difference in the lives of Canadians. This is four times the number of projects built under the Conservatives. If we consider all the infrastructure projects across the federal government, we are investing in 52,000 projects with provinces, territories, municipalities and indigenous peoples. That translates to thousands of new buses, light rail, transit vehicles and tracks to help Canadians get where they need. It translates into new systems that produce cleaner electricity; communities that will substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cleaner, safer drinking water; high-quality water treatment plants that protect our homes, families and communities; and affordable housing that is needed across the country.
To make this happen, we are working closely with our partners, including the provinces, territories, municipalities and indigenous peoples, who together own approximately 98% of all core public infrastructure. We are doing that work collaboratively, responsibly and quickly to build infrastructure that makes the lives of Canadians better.
When Canada builds, Canada grows. We want to help Canadians everywhere to build a better future.
When Canada builds, Canada grows. We are working with Canadians from coast to coast to coast to build a cleaner, more prosperous future.