Transport Committee on Feb. 28th, 2019

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Madam Chair, I have a point of order.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Unfortunately, the provincial Conservatives have yet to actually allow us to do that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Badawey, Ms. Block is raising a point of order.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

I am wondering if you would please rule on my colleague's point of order, before the floor is turned back to another colleague, to continue their line of questioning.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Yes, I believe that it is relevant, because it's pertaining to the votes before us.

I rule that it is relevant.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Please continue.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Again, Ms. Gillis, are we going to be able to roll those dollars out in time for the building season, if in fact the provincial Conservatives do not move forward with releasing their partnership with the federal government?

[Kelly Gillis]

For each integrated bilateral agreement we sign with all jurisdictions across the country, the intake processes with the provinces and territories—and some municipalities go to them—there is a prioritization process that happens. They come to us with project applications, and we try to process and approve them through our due diligence process.

In Ontario, they are going through their determination of what their intake process is with their municipalities. As soon as we do get projects, we are ready to advance them.

Regarding the question on emergency funding for the bridge, we do not have emergency funding set aside, but there is maybe the gas tax with a nearby municipality that could be an option to move forward in a more expeditious way.

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Aubin.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I have said many times in this committee that having three or four witnesses in an hour is far too many. We have 14 with us in such a short time. Let me express my disappointment, which is even greater because of the absence of the two ministers. That being said, since I have very little time, I will get straight to my questions.

I would like to start with the representatives from VIA Rail.

The last time the Minister of Transport came to Trois-Rivières last November to talk about transportation at a symposium organized by the Union des municipalités du Québec, we were all a little disappointed, because the theme of the symposium was passenger rail transportation, and the minister gave us a speech on safety. Although it was interesting, it was simply inappropriate, given the subject matter of the symposium.

The minister answered questions from journalists by saying that studies still had to be done before approving the project to ensure that there was the appropriate client density for the project to be profitable.

Since VIA Rail is a responsible company, I imagine that you have already done similar studies or a market study clearly demonstrating the viability of the project. Do you have studies like that?

[Jacques Fauteux, Director, Government and Community Relations, VIA Rail Canada Inc.]

Thank you for your question and your interest in our high frequency rail project.

I can confirm that we continue to work on those studies jointly with our shareholder, the Government of Canada, particularly Transport Canada, to ensure the viability and fair investment of the Government of Canada in this project.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

So the studies are the same and the work is divided between VIA Rail and the Department of Transport. There is no independent study strictly under VIA Rail. Is that correct?

[Jacques Fauteux]

In fact, we have done our work and we are also working with our counterparts at Transport Canada.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Yes, I can well imagine.

Let me then turn to the officials from Transport Canada.

The $8 million is for studies. That seems like a lot of money to determine whether the client density is sufficient, since the other issues seemed to have been resolved. Correct me if I am wrong, but as we speak, about $1.5 million of that amount has apparently been allocated.

What is happening with the rest of the money? How come it's going so slowly? What is the content of those studies? When can we expect the process to end? Will it really take another three years?

[Michael Keenan]

As my colleague from VIA Rail said, we are now working together on issues related to the high frequency rail project between Quebec City and Toronto. VIA Rail did a very good job in analyzing this project. However, the project must progress with due diligence, given the complexity of the project.

It's essentially a project of, depending on how you count it, $4 billion to $5 billion with significant construction and significant capital investment, and there is a lot—

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

I have to interrupt you because we are very familiar with the details, particularly with respect to Trois-Rivières. We have been following this matter for years. In our opinion, we are certainly not on a fast train.

I have another question. In supplementary estimates (B), Transport Canada requests additional funding of $760,000 to help study VIA Rail's high frequency rail proposal. Is the $760,000 in addition to the $8 million or is it included in the amount? What is included in the study with the additional funding of $760,000?

[Michael Keenan]

The amount of $760,000 is for VIA Rail to study the high frequency railway.

Which line is the $760,000 for VIA Rail on?

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

I'm sorry, but I don't have the line number.

[Michael Keenan]

We're spending the $8 million to study the high frequency rail proposal.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

So the $760,000 would be included in the $8 million?

[Michael Keenan]

Yes.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Okay, that's what I was asking. I wanted to know whether it was included or additional.

My next question is about fleet renewal. Siemens states that it aims to use or achieve 20% local content as part of the replacement of VIA Rail's fleet. Is that out of the goodness of their hearts or is it because part of the contract requires Canadian or local content? We are aware that the 20% is well below what many other countries do in terms of funding public projects.

[Michael Keenan]

Since VIA Rail has managed the fleet renewal project well, I invite my colleague to answer your question.