Thank you, witnesses.
My question has to do with urban transit, because it's something I invested a lot of my time in during the eighties.
In the eighties, to build one kilometre of track in Vancouver cost about $25 million. If we build the kilometre of track today, we're looking at about $300 million. The issue is more than just spending money. There are environmental impacts, alignment issues, and technology issues.
For example, in Toronto we have talked about this ever since the Transport 2000 study, which I had a hand in in the 1980s. Should public policy not also focus on the broader issue of land use management, intensification, and perhaps simple governance? Once you have decided that you want to build transit, then leave it alone, let it be built, rather than changing horses in midstream. We all know that every change order costs a tremendous amount of time and money by not completing that project.
Mr. Roschlau, could I hear your comment first. Should public policy involve something broader than just funding alone?