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.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Thank you, and good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, meeting number 17.
The orders of the day, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), are the examination of departmental expenditure plans.
Joining us today is Yaprak Baltacioglu, deputy minister. I know that you have guests with you. If you'll introduce them, and then make your presentation, then we'll go to questions.
Again, welcome.
Yaprak Baltacioglu Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to introduce the colleagues joining me: Anita Biguzs, Associate Deputy Minister at Transport Canada; André Morency, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management and Crown Corporation Governance; and Laureen Kinney, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security Group. From Infrastructure Canada, joining us today are John Forster, Associate Deputy Minister, and Su Dazé, our new Assistant Deputy Minister at the Corporate Services Branch.
Unfortunately, we didn't get the opportunity to present our supplementary estimates (B) last week, but we did attend the meeting of the
government operations committee, so I think we had a bit of oversight over our estimates.
It's a great pleasure to be here. I heard from the clerk that you might be going for votes, so I'm going to skip our opening remarks so that you get to ask us questions.
I have just one little commentary. I think this is the first time since this committee has been established since the elections that we're officially in a larger group of officials coming to speak to you and to answer your questions. Let me just say it's going to be a pleasure working with you all. Some of you we have known from the past and some of you we don't, and we hope to get to know you. You can count on our cooperation in the years to come. It's a real pleasure. So why don't I stop talking so that you can start asking.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Wonderful. Thank you very much, and welcome to our guests.
First up, I have Ms. Chow for seven minutes, please.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Thank you very much.
On the Building Canada fund, is there any money left that is not committed? I believe there's about $60 million left. Can you actually, in each of the funds, go down the list and say how much is left, how much is already committed? And are there any dollars left in each of the pockets? That would include the Building Canada fund, the rural fund, the green infrastructure fund--you know the list of them.
John Forster Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
Do you want it today? Or would you like it in writing afterwards? It will take me a minute to find it.
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
Maybe just give the highlights.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Perhaps you can highlight it, and I would love to have it in writing after. That's even better, given that I only have seven minutes.
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
Yes, I don't want to take up your time. I'll look for it. In general, obviously, the gas tax fund flows every year, so that goes out--
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
All the stimulus funds have been committed and approved--
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
There are two components to the Building Canada fund. The communities component, which is for towns under 100,000, is fully committed and approved. The other part of the Building Canada fund is for major projects, and I believe it's committed in some provinces. It varies by province. I just have to look for the exact number, if you want to move on and I'll come back--
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
Most of it is committed. I think there's about $800 million left in various places, but I'll look for the number, and if you want to move on, I'll come back and we'll provide it to the committee.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Okay. The $800 million that's left is not for projects that have been committed. It's free and still available for applications. Or has some of it already been committed?
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
No, I'm talking about money that isn't committed or earmarked to projects already.
NDP
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
The official end date is 2014, but some projects will run over, and we'll be paying money past that date. So if a project isn't completed, it's not like stimulus; there will be some allowance for them to continue.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
What about other projects? I believe the green infrastructure fund is a billion dollars over five years, and that includes the stimulus, so how much has been expended to date?
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
On the green infrastructure fund, we have $670 million committed to 17 projects, with $170 million allocated to other priorities outside this program, where the funds are transferred out. This also includes a reduction of $45 million for the strategic review. Then there are some projects that are under consideration, but they haven't been announced so I can't really give you the numbers around that.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
I understand that. If you add up all of that, how much would be left in the green infrastructure fund?