Finance committee  Of course, we need a permanent program to guarantee a certain level of investment for networks throughout the country, so that we can engage in planning. Projects such as the construction of a subway or a light-rail system take years to complete. Short-term, ad hoc funding is wel

Finance committee  Precisely. There are two things. First, we have the manufacturing industry in Canada. Whether it is a railway car or a bus, three of the largest bus manufacturers in North America are located in Canada, and 80% of their products are exported to the United States. We have to suppo

Finance committee  We've just completed a five-year survey of the infrastructure needs for the entire public transit industry across the country. That's come out at $40 billion over a five-year period from 2008 to 2012. That's what's been determined based on that next five-year period. That's the $

Finance committee  It's a very interesting and a very good question. It's hard for us to separate the cause and effect when it comes to ridership. There are so many different factors out there in terms of the growth of population, in terms of the fiscal incentives, in terms of the environment, and

Finance committee  That has not changed measurably since 2006.

Finance committee  What we have seen--and this is anecdotal--is that there's been a shift in the fare media, where people are more likely to buy monthly passes and less likely to pay cash or use tickets.

Finance committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you so much for the invitation. It's my privilege to serve as the president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association, the organization that many of you may have come to know as CUTA. With me is a member of our executive commi

Finance committee  This brings us to the essential element of the bill before you today: the establishment of the public transit capital trust and the investment of $500 million. This is an extraordinarily important investment and is part of what leads to the optimism about public transit that we r