Evidence of meeting #18 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was study.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Earlier, you said that VIA Rail is developing higher speed rail and improving the tracks in some places. So VIA Rail is gradually heading toward higher speed rail.
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
That is true right now in some parts of the corridor, yes. I do not know what the future holds, because the funding VIA Rail received this year is certainly spread over two or three years. It will allow improvements, but not in all the corridors. Right now, we do not know what will happen.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Has your department already made plans? Have you made plans or does VIA Rail submit its plans to you?
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
VIA Rail does it.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
So you do no planning. You wait for VIA Rail to submit requests?
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
No, we work together. It is not VIA Rail but the department that has responsibility for this project. What we do with the carrier is discuss how we can improve the VIA Rail system and provide faster, safer service. That is how we work together. Our goal is to improve the system currently in place.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
You proceed according to the money that is available or you make requests.
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
Yes, the department and VIA Rail make requests to the government.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
You must have another project in the works. Is that the case?
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
We are starting to implement the plan that VIA Rail and the department approved in 2007, using the additional funding the government provided this year. That will take three or four years.
Conservative
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Going back to the Pacific northwest corridor that Mr. Obama is supporting, the way I see it is this. I have travelled extensively in Asia and also in eastern Europe. Where we see high-speed trains, I have seen that tourism has evolved and that there is a great deal of business in small communities. In the case of Vancouver, we haven't even followed up on Obama's commitment for our short sector between Vancouver and the border, something that would have a very positive impact on tourism.
How do you see this corridor? Do you see any positive impact on tourism if we go through this process?
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
I think overall that passenger rail is a big contributor to tourism in Canada. I can speak for VIA today. VIA provides service across the country. A significant portion of its ridership are tourists who come in, whether on the west coast or the east coast, and go across Canada; to the east coast, for example, to visit Nova Scotia, or even places such as P.E.I. Even though VIA doesn't go there, there are still people who travel on the train to other places and then hop on a bus or go by some other means.
I think passenger rail is appealing to tourists; it's a way to see the country. VIA has products to attract the tourists, and many tourists from Europe and Asian countries are used to travelling by rail. So this is a real, feasible option for them, and in some cases probably less costly than having to travel by air. And they get to see more, because they're on the ground, not in the air. You actually visibly see what you're going through.
So rail tends to have a positive impact on tourism.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
I didn't have an opportunity to question, and I don't need one, but I was wondering whether the department had any information. They mentioned that the previous study called for $18 billion over 10 years, but also that there was new technology available. I was wondering what the increased cost—obviously, if there is an increased cost—per kilometre or per track would be in relation to it. I am interested in that new technology and, if there is an increase in cost, in what it would be.
I was also wondering what the technology itself is. You mentioned three different modes. We need this in writing, if you would.
Finally, if you have additional information on costs for rail in downtown congested areas, I'm interested, because I always have a four-hour wait in Toronto, but I don't have any wait on Highway 401, for instance. Obviously the high-speed rail is important, but I'm curious about the cost in major urban centres.
Just give us approximations, so that we can have an understanding of where we're coming from, what the new technology is, and what the cost would be. It has to go through the clerk, but if you want more clarification, I'd be happy to provide that to you in writing as well.
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
As I mentioned, part of the study is looking at the possible technology options. We don't have available right now what the consultants are going to come up with, because as part of the requirement we've asked them to keep in mind the Canadian environment, the Canadian ridership, and the routing distance. They're going to be making those recommendations to us. Attached to them will be the representative cost of those technologies, probably in today's market prices, as well as what track infrastructure and structures would go with providing the service.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
That's exactly what I'm interested in.
Is there data available today from companies such as Bombardier on approximate costs?
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
They would be able to provide you with data, but it's not something you can take to the store to say, “I want to buy X”. Everything is customized. They can probably give an indication of the average price of a railcar or of a system that they sell in Europe. They'll probably be able to—
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
If the department does have specific information in relation to this, just on a general basis, I would appreciate having it.
Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport
Okay. We'll see what we can provide.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
With that, I'll thank our guests.
Just for the advice of the committee, on Thursday, May 14, we will have the High Speed Rail Canada people visiting us, and the Railway Association of Canada. Then, after the break, on May 26 at the first meeting back, we have Bombardier and the Canadian Airports Council.
That's it. I just want to let everybody know that I sent an invitation to all members of the committee for a luncheon tomorrow with the new president of the Vancouver Port Authority.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
It's Thursday. I'm sorry; I apologize.
If you are planning to come, I would be glad if you gave my office a heads up, so that we'll know the number of people to expect.
With that, the meeting is adjourned.
