Evidence of meeting #16 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was noise.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Acting chairman, Canadian Transportation Agency
Perhaps it is a debate that needs to be had, but, thus far, the bill does not mandate the CTA with this responsibility, and the CTA has no intention of asking for such a mandate.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
You said, Monsieur Dufault, that the office of the transportation agency actually had the responsibility for intervening in railway noise complaints—previously. I think you said that.
Acting chairman, Canadian Transportation Agency
I said the agency in its previous incarnation had some jurisdiction over noise complaints. I simply said there was expertise that existed at that time, and hopefully it's still within the agency. The people who were experts at that time may have retired since—I don't know—but I simply say that it probably exists, and we'll surely try to see what we can do with this expertise.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
How many noise complaints would you have had annually in that previous incarnation?
Director General, Rail and Marine Branch, Canadian Transportation Agency
There were on the order of six to ten coming in—
Director General, Rail and Marine Branch, Canadian Transportation Agency
It was something like that. I'm dealing with—
NDP
Director General, Rail and Marine Branch, Canadian Transportation Agency
Yes, but there's obviously a big difference between a formal complaint and people calling up their local representative to do that. According to the Federal Court, we kind of extended our power beyond what the act said. So we lost the power to deal with noise complaints, until it's been reintroduced in the legislation.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
If we look at this, the additional responsibility, and all of the other additional responsibilities we've discussed for Bill C-11—you mentioned earlier that you deal with about 3,800 cases annually—what would be your forecast in terms of having these new powers? What would be the number of cases that you may handle?
Acting chairman, Canadian Transportation Agency
The difference would not be significant. If we talk about noise complaints, we don't know, but we assume that we can do it with the existing complement of resources.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
To understand this again, is the Canadian Transportation Agency a separate employer? What's your status? Are you a crown corporation?
Acting chairman, Canadian Transportation Agency
No, we are an agency of the government.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
I understand. There are four or five different kinds of agencies of government.
Liberal
Director General, Air and Accessible Transportation Branch, Canadian Transportation Agency
No, we're not. We're treated as a federal department and that's it.
Acting chairman, Canadian Transportation Agency
No, we have seven members. The act presently calls for seven members. The legislation—
Liberal
