Transport Committee on Nov. 7th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

While I'm not prepared to rule it a point of order, I would ask Mr. McGuinty to be more specific with particularly the estimates side of it. I don't think it's fair to ask any of our guests here today to make an assumption or make a comment on something that perhaps the minister should be answering. And I'll intervene if I feel that way.

Please proceed.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Ranger and colleagues of Mr. Ranger, let me go to part two of the question.

Last Sunday, as part, I assume, of new estimates that are forthcoming--new numbers, new commitments--the Prime Minister and the Premier of Quebec stood up and committed to a billion-dollar roadway south of Montreal. Obviously your department's been working on that; you're contemplating this as forms of either supplementary or new estimates. Is that true? Is that correct?

[Louis Ranger]

This is a project we've been involved in for several years. We already have a commitment to the first part of the project, which was to work with Quebec on the studies and take the process to the end of phase one, which is the call for proposals. Before a call for proposals, there's a call for qualifications. It's a $21 million phase, and we're funding half of that; we've now reached the first milestone, which is a call for qualifications. There was an announcement, and we're progressing normally with that.

There will be a call for proposals, and we'll see what comes out of that. On that basis, depending on how costly it is, we will sit down with Quebec and negotiate a contribution agreement. That's when all the terms and conditions will be sorted out.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Can I read you a quote from Le Devoir? Maybe you could help me understand this quote. It's in French.

[...] Highway 30 will be completed by 2011, at a cost of over one billion dollars. A 35 kilometre segment will be built and maintained by the private sector. We know nothing about the rest. How much will it cost to use the highway? How many vehicles will use it to go around Montreal? How many will use it simply to enter the city by another bridge? That doesn't matter, there are going ahead!

Can I then ask you, sir, is this a federal project? Is the billion dollars federal money? Is it federal-provincial money? Is it federal-provincial toll money? Is it federal-provincial toll and municipal money? Can you help us understand where this is going?

[Louis Ranger]

Sure. The number that was used is de l'envergure de plus d'un milliard de dollars, so it's over a billion dollars. That's the total cost of construction, of realizing the project.

There will be a call for tenders. I've been saying from the very beginning that there's going to be lots of interest, because all the conditions are met for a public-private partnership here. The volume of trucks and cars is enormous, and therefore it should be very attractive to several bidders. Actually, I think it would be quite inappropriate to disclose any details on the project, because we want this to be competitive, so let the proposals come forward.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Go ahead, Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

On the actual spending in 2005-06 on infrastructure, the budget amount is $769 million. How much was actually spent on that one?

[Louis Ranger]

That's the number on infrastructure?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Yes, it's infrastructure in communities. It includes the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, the Border Infrastructure Fund, MRIF, and the gas tax; they come to $769 million. This year, in 2006, it is $1.78 billion. How much of the $769 million has been spent so far? How much of it is out the door?

[Louis Ranger]

I'll ask Mr. Cluff to comment.

[David Cluff, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Transport Canada]

Actually, last year Infrastructure Canada spent $1.5 billion. The main reason is that the first year of the gas tax, which was roughly around $600 million, was not included in the main estimates because it was a statutory item.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Ah, supplementary; I see.

[David Cluff]

It's a statutory item, so although it showed up in our expenditure and the moneys were transferred to the provinces, it didn't go through the main estimates process. Once you take that into account, the real increase we're talking about, as the minister indicated in his opening speech, is from $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, which is explained by the additional projects that have come on board since the time the main estimates were prepared, under such things as the CCIF.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

So all of the $1.5 billion--that is spent.

[David Cluff]

Right.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

It is not budgeted, but it is actually spent, right? It's delivered. It's gone out the door.

[David Cluff]

It went out the door before March 31, 2006.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Perfect. And your intention is that the $1.8 billion will also be out the door by March 31, 2007.

[David Cluff]

Correct.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Okay.

Is the green fund part of it, part of the FCM ? Where is the green fund in all of this? I can't find it.

[David Cluff]

The green fund is not in our main estimates.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Oh, so it's in the supplementary, or is it in a different department?

[David Cluff]

No, it was either funded through Environment Canada or through Natural Resources Canada. I can't remember, but it went through another department.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

It was a different route. I see.

The Toronto waterfront used to be under Citizenship--don't ask me why--but it's now back in your portfolio. Is that right?

[David Cluff]

It has been moved over to Treasury Board.