Transport Committee on June 10th, 2010

Evidence of meeting #23 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was projects.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Impact of the government's deadline of March 31, 2011, for infrastructure stimulus projects, and December 31, 2010, for the completion of projects under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program (RinC) and the Water and Wastewater Pipeline Renewal Program (PRECO)

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Gilles Vaillancourt Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

10:50 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

I have a short time, so you've answered some of it here.

So we've provided, through the infrastructure stimulus fund money, a deadline, and requirements. We've also waived Navigable Waters Protection Act permits. We've waived Canadian environmental assessments on projects. We've done that to a considerable amount of criticism, mind you, from other parties, and we've done that to expedite projects to be completed. And I know the provinces offered delays in terms of negotiation and when their budgets are passed, etc., and programs are established. What barriers have they removed for you in order to be able to comply with deadlines?

10:50 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

Excuse me, I didn't get the last part of your question.

10:50 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

In order to comply with the deadline or the final date, what barriers has the province removed in terms of their processes to expedite projects?

10:50 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

There are barriers in Quebec that are a little different. In many parts around the country you can choose your engineers and your architects in a shorter period of time than we can do in Quebec. The law has been changed. We need more time in order to choose the engineers and the architect for the project that's needed than anywhere else around the country.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

So they haven't waived any other processes for you?

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

That could not be considered by you because it's a local factor. The local election in Quebec could not be considered a factor, but it is a factor that we encountered.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

I appreciate that.

If the deadline is not moved, can you quantify for us at this point what the rate of failure to comply with the deadline would be in Quebec?

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

I indicated previously that we will send you a list of municipal—

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

Okay. Have you begun any of that consultation yet, or is that...?

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

Yes, we did the consultation, but I want to make sure that everybody has a chance to answer and to give you the cleanest situation: the municipality, the type of project, and the amount.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

Do you have a ballpark of what percentage failure rate you'd anticipate right now?

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

I don't have it with me. And I'd rather not give you a ballpark figure. I will give you the exact figure and very soon.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

Okay. In fairness, Mr. Vaillancourt, you've come with a direct message that this needs to be done, but you can't substantiate or even estimate for us what you think the failure rate would be if we didn't do it.

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

It's because I didn't do it myself, and the people who did it are not with me. I will send you very shortly all pertinent information. We'll send it to your committee.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

Okay, I appreciate that.

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

Yes, just as I promised to Mayor Généreux, who asked me to do that.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

I have what may be more of a technical question for you on the sewer replacement. You're talking about sewer repair, as opposed to putting in new sewer lines for the specific project you were talking about. I wondered whether you'd considered--

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

No. The relation that I gave was in another project, not this one.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

Okay. I was just wondering if trenchless sewer repair was considered as an option.

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

We have a project in Quebec where the money to repair a bridge is not eligible until you have finished the water and sewer job. This does not allow for the bridge to live longer.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON

Thank you, but it's not what I was asking.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

With that, we have another committee coming in, so I would thank you very much for your attendance today. I think it's been informational for us all. We appreciate your time. Thank you.

I have Mr. Kennedy on a point of order.

10:55 a.m.

Liberal

Gerard Kennedy Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON

I have a brief point of order, Mr. Chair.

10:55 a.m.

Member of the Executive Committee, President of the Commission on Fiscality and Local Finances and Mayor of the City of Laval, Union of Quebec Municipalities

Gilles Vaillancourt

Allow me to thank the committee.

Thank you very much for allowing us to appear this morning.

I would like to remind you of one thing: great cities make great countries.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Thank you very much. You're right.

Mr. Kennedy, on a point of order.