Evidence of meeting #24 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 program.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Transport Canada
That's why you won't find it here either.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Okay. Thank you.
In terms of the gas tax, I'm trying to figure this out. I'm sure there's a logic as to why it's in Citizenship, but never mind that. Are there any strings attached to the gas tax?
My understanding is that it's transferred from the feds to the provinces, and there are then agreements with the municipalities. There are really no strings attached to those dollars, or are there?
Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Transport Canada
Well, there are strings in the sense that we've already talked about certain uses for the gas tax, basically in the green category.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
For those general things, it's fine. But other than those general concepts, there are no real specifics.
For example, the Toronto Transit Commission has to use it for X, Y, and Z purposes.
Deputy Minister, Transport Canada
It has to be green, it has to be within the list of eligibility, and it has to be part of a plan. They have to provide a five-year plan to show where the project fits. There's also a requirement for annual reporting to the government on audited results.
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Of course, but does it have to be new projects, or could it be a state of good repair, if the roof of the subway tunnel is coming down and needs to be fixed before we can have a new subway tunnel?
Deputy Minister, Transport Canada
I stand to be corrected, but I think it's largely new projects.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
It's the gas tax.
On the gas tax, as we know, the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, because you're doing a review....
Deputy Minister, Transport Canada
It is the same.
But as I indicated earlier in one of my answers, when I was asked if we are exactly replicating all those programs, major rehabilitation programs are certainly something we should be looking at. It's one of the options we're definitely looking at.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
In terms of the several options because of your review, would one of the options be that you allow municipalities to make their own decisions?
On the origin of this entire infrastructure fund back in the eighties, it was supposed to be the municipality that called the shots and made decisions on which projects would be recommended. The province and the federal government then came in.
Throughout the years, it became completely driven by the feds to the provinces and then to the municipalities. It was supposed to be from the ground up, and it's now completely reversed. Is one of the options that you can switch it back?
Deputy Minister, Transport Canada
What is from the top down is the overall architecture, as we call it, or the criteria. Once the criteria are set and the eligibility lists are set, it's still application based.
In fact, one of the complaints we get is that the paperwork is quite burdensome. We've tried to deal with that, but you still have to apply for the money.
Liberal
Andy Scott Liberal Fredericton, NB
Thank you very much.
Did I hear you say that for the gas tax money, the green piece of it or the green requirements around it haven't been changed?
Liberal
Andy Scott Liberal Fredericton, NB
There's been no change in the way the gas tax money can be used. Is that correct?
Deputy Minister, Transport Canada
The current program, which hasn't changed, is actually all green, as the minister said.
