Evidence of meeting #17 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4 p.m.
Conservative
Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON
Okay.
I don't know if any of my colleagues have a question. I'm finished with mine.
4 p.m.
Conservative
4 p.m.
Conservative
Lawrence Toet Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Yes, I do.
One of the things I would like to know about is in regard to what's included in these estimates for Marine Atlantic Incorporated. Could you give us a bit of a rundown on that?
December 7th, 2011 / 4 p.m.
Anita Biguzs Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
The supplementary estimates (B) include funds of $1.5 million and they are for an alternate dock upgrade in North Sydney. These funds are actually funds that are being reprofiled from 2010-2011 to the current year. This is part of a $9 million initiative that was announced in the 2009 budget from the infrastructure stimulus fund. This is basically to complete the work to demolish the administrative building, for some paving, and for some site remediation. As I said, this was part of the economic action plan announcement for dock repairs at the ferry terminal, which included adding a second level to the dock and some new fenders between the main dock and the alternate dock.
4 p.m.
Conservative
Lawrence Toet Conservative Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Thank you.
I have one last item. Mr. Watson asked you about the Detroit River crossing. I wonder if you can also give us a bit of an update on the efforts in regard to the new bridge across the St. Lawrence in Montreal.
4 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
Since the government made the announcement that a new bridge would be built over the St. Lawrence River, basically at the departmental level as well as the political level, our minister has met with various municipalities and the players around this bridge, including his provincial counterpart. We're doing the actual scoping of the work, because it's a big project. This is our top priority in Transport Canada.
Actually there are two top priorities. One is to make sure the current bridge is safe and that upkeep and repairs are being done by the bridge corporation, and number two is to proceed as fast as possible in the construction of a new bridge. So we're doing the work for it right now.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Under vote 60(b), Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. is going to receive an additional $23 million, raising its total budgetary allocation to $154 million. Is any of that money allocated to the administration fees for the future P3? No?
4:05 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
No. This $23 million is basically covering three particular items.
An amount of $4.6 million is for the Champlain Bridge, and again these are funds that are being reprofiled from the previous year. There were some delays in the work plan, so this is basically to be able to complete some of the pier rehabilitation work on the existing structure. This is part of the government's $212 million plan over ten years for the safety of the existing structure.
Of that amount, $17.6 million is for the Honoré-Mercier Bridge. Again, that was a project that was announced some time ago. These are funds that have been reprofiled from 2010-2011.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Just to interject, when is the decking of the Mercier Bridge expected to be completed?
4:05 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
The first phase of the initiative has been completed, and that was the steel repairs and the deck replacement on the access ramp. So that was actually completed. The bridge redecking is expected to be finished this coming spring, 2012.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Has a value-for-money analysis for the new bridge across the St. Lawrence been given to the department at all?
4:05 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
The department will be doing all the design work, as the deputy referred to. Certainly all the conceptual work, the consultations--it's a very significant project--will all be factored--
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
But the minister specifically mentioned that the project was going to go ahead as a P3. Has he delivered a value-for-money analysis to the department? Has P3 Canada done so?
4:05 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
It's still very early days. All of this will be part of the work. We'll be looking at consulting with P3 Canada as part of the process, but as I said, it's still early days. We're consulting with various levels of government and stakeholders, working with experts, and we'll certainly very much be looking at all of this.
4:05 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
Government had all the information that was required to make the decision around P3. Doing a P3 is very much a policy decision. That decision has been taken. Supporting actions and the action plans will be based on further work.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Right, but I'm trying to get a clear idea not only of whether a value-for-money analysis is in the hands of Transport Canada, but also the timeline of the project in general. Do we have a timeline laid out for the new bridge?
4:05 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
We're working on the timeline. The original timeline in the Delcan report was a number of years. We heard from everyone, including the minister, that everything has to be done in terms of anything we could do to expedite the building, so we're working on that one.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Just to return to the question, Transport Canada does have P3 Canada's value-for-money analysis in its hands? It's been done?
4:05 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
P3 Canada will give us advice as the project advances.
4:05 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
We're not at the details of the P3 arrangement right now.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Okay.
In terms of rural postal services in Quebec, I noticed line 15, payments to Canada Post Corporation for special purposes. Could you tell me why the cuts in Quebec amounted to approximately 53% of global cuts across Canada?
4:05 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
Canada Post looks at the issue of hours of service of postal offices on a regular basis. It is looking at traffic patterns and post office use. This is very standard procedure for the post office. So if there are increases in terms of demand, then they will increase the hours of services. Where decreases occur, they have to make adjustments to the offices. So Quebec is not being singled out. They do this consistently across the country. Where there are fewer customers making fewer purchases, and traditional letter mail is declining--it's declined on average I think about 17%--they have to review the scheduled hours. The hours reflect the usage.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
