Evidence of meeting #121 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was project.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
But is that as many as we thought we were going to have by this time? Give just a short answer, yes or no, on that. Had we expected more activity by now?
9:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
We did not have an exact plan of the number of projects by year, so you cannot say how many projects would have been done.
What I can say is that provinces and territories are working on what their local priorities are with the municipalities and they're coming to us with projects on a regular basis, and we have a lot of activity under way.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
No, that's not where I'm going with this. I'm sorry. I need to be somewhat precise, because I only have limited time.
What does our experience so far say about provincial and municipal capacity to be ready for the kind of federal investments that we're trying to make here, both financial capacity and technical capacity, to get projects shovel ready?
9:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
There are a few things that are going on from that. When we look at phase two, it's a 10-year program that allows provinces and territories to plan over a longer-term horizon, taking into consideration their own fiscal realities and their own capacity. I think that's a really important component. Also, the three-year plans—
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
I'm sorry, ma'am. What does it say about their capacity? Are we straining their ability to respond to our investments? Are they able to keep up?
9:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
We have worked very closely with the provinces and territories in ensuring we have programs in place that can meet their local priorities, and at the same time make a difference on a national basis.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
That didn't answer the question. I'm sorry.
Are they able to keep up? Do the provinces have the money, and do the municipalities have the technical expertise, or do they need additional help to respond?
9:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
We have two programs in place with the FCM to help with technical capacity. One is a $75-million program to help build capacity in communities to understand the opportunities for climate change. That's giving them funding and technical expertise to help them ensure their assets are managed and that they are taking into consideration opportunities for climate change. We've done another $50-million program to provide capacity to communities to do asset management. Both of those areas help with their own capacity in making sure that they're good stewards of their own assets.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
This question is for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.
You're in a P3. Can you tell me the nature and the amount, the expanse of the risk transfer involved in your P3 arrangement? How much risk are you actually transferring? What's the dollar value on it?
9:25 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority
There were risks that were identified as we went through the procurement process. Part of those are built into both the contract and the contingency. I'm not going to go into the details about the risk and transfer. That's commercially sensitive in a public forum.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
Fair enough.
As for the bridge itself, once it's up and running—looking forward a few years, I suppose—we've heard a lot in some of our corridor studies about the necessity to use technology as well as to recruit participants in trusted trader programs.
Are you designing your structure to provide the technology to facilitate the vehicles going back and forth through customs? Will you be participating in trying to recruit more shippers and traders into a version of the NEXUS program, again to make sure that things are flowing smoothly?
9:25 a.m.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Just to answer my colleague across the way, and correct me if I'm wrong, Infrastructure Canada, according to the PBO report, the lapsed funds of $727 million were primarily due to delayed spending on infrastructure projects. That's a significant amount of money that was lapsed by you guys because of the delays.
The sums of $100,000 per day, $400,000 per day after the first week, $150 million maximum are agreed to in the contract with the Champlain Bridge. Are we going to be recovering that money?
9:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
The negotiations on the contract are under way and as soon as they are completed, once we know what the date is, then we will be transparent, as we've been in the past.
9:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
We will be transparent when we have an agreement. There are different things that have happened, such as the strikes, that bear different risks on different parties. These are commercial discussions that are under way. As in the past, when those are concluded, we will be transparent.
9:25 a.m.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
Let me quote Minister Champagne when asked the same question:
There's no wiggle room whatsoever. Like I said the contract is clear. We're going to be reviewing the terms and conditions of the contract and trust me we're going to apply it fairly, equitably because we're the government of Canada, but like I said there will be consequences both in terms of timing and financially.
Which one of you is offside in their comments?
9:30 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
We are saying the same thing.
9:30 a.m.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
He's saying there will be penalties applied. You're saying you'll be—
9:30 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
I'm not saying that we're not. I'm saying we're in confidential conversations right now, and there are different parties at fault depending on what happens, such as strikes. When those negotiations are under way, we do not speak about them in public and negotiate them in public, but once we actually conclude them, we are very transparent, as we've been in the past.
9:30 a.m.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
It appears the minister can speak about these things, Deputy Minister.
Has your department been advised to find ways to ensure the budget is balanced by 2019?
9:30 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities, Office of Infrastructure of Canada
I would think that would be a question for the Department of Finance.
9:30 a.m.
Edmonton Riverbend, CPC
You have a significant stake. You spend over $180 billion in infrastructure. Have you been asked for ways to ensure that the budget is balanced in 2019?
