Transport Committee on May 14th, 2019

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Councillor Lane, could you do your closing remarks at this point, please?

[Jim Lane]

Okay.

We believe right now that the cost of living and the costs of this ferry service have risen 107%. We're asking the federal government to give us what we believe is needed to make the transportation corridor affordable. People in Newfoundland and Labrador pay up to 25% more for goods and services than people in any other province.

I'm sorry I couldn't finish it all. I'm open for questions. Thank you very much for the opportunity.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much, Councillor Lane.

We'll go to questions. You have six minutes, Mr. Jeneroux.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Thank you, Madam Chair. Did you say six minutes? Great. Thank you.

I want to start with you, Mr. Davis. Thank you for joining us via video conference.

One of the major concerns I and I know many members of our party have heard about in Atlantic Canada is the trade corridors and having the ability to move goods and services in and out of Atlantic Canada, one of the major routes being the P.E.I. Confederation Bridge.

Right now, the current toll on the bridge is $47.75, I believe. Does a toll like that impact the ability to get goods and services in and out of Atlantic Canada?

[Glenn Davis]

Sorry, could you repeat that?

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Does a toll of around $47.75 impact the ability to get goods and services in and out of Atlantic Canada? Are people not accessing Atlantic Canada because of that toll, perhaps?

[Glenn Davis]

I am not aware, in my discussions with the chambers of commerce or any of the industries in P.E.I., that there's a significant problem. Historically, the alternative was to cross by ferry. Understandably, the ferry operation would be a more expensive and time-consuming option. No, we're not seeing the traffic volumes decline. We're pretty sure the tourism numbers and/or the value of exports from P.E.I. in the last couple of years have continued to grow.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Okay. That's fair.

With respect to the twinning of Route 185,you said it's delayed until...well, that it would be finished around 2025. What are some of the reasons for the delays you've seen both in the past and currently?

[Glenn Davis]

The entire program for creating what's called the autoroute Claude-Béchard took a phased approach. There are certain portions of the more than 100 kilometres between Rivière-du-Loup and Edmundston that are complete and operational. Right now, though, the remaining 40-odd kilometres are still at the point of undertaking environmental assessments, wildlife assessments, expropriations and so on. Simply put, it's a question of priorities within Quebec's transportation infrastructure program. However, in that it does impact the transportation of goods largely between central Canada and Atlantic Canada, we feel it's of greater national importance than would be suggested by simply waiting until Quebec completes their assessments and conforms with their construction strategy.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

So you're finding that the delays are at the Quebec provincial level, in terms of environmental assessments, etc. At the federal level, does everything seem to be moving smoothly on that end, in your opinion?

[Glenn Davis]

Right now, the federal government has certainly committed—I can't remember the exact dollar figure—a significant portion of the financing costs. Simply put, the construction schedule is determined by Quebec and they have taken it on with a piecemeal approach.

We think that if there's any pressure or any reminders or emphasis that the federal government can apply in relation to their discussions with Quebec regarding their funding agreements, the Atlantic provinces would greatly appreciate it.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

That's great.

I want to quickly move on to some of our rural representatives. We'll start with the two at the table here.

Mr. Spencer, your worship, and Councillor Lane, thank you for being here today.

The current government announced a new minister, the Minister of Rural Economic Development. Have you recently received more access to the government through that new minister?

[Jim Lane]

Not of late, but we will be working on that, sir. This presentation took a little longer, and climate change is a big factor in our area as well with regard to transportation. I'm hoping I'll get the chance to answer that in the question period.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

That's great. Wonderful.

With that being said, I think it's important that this committee also have access to that minister, so I'd like to move the following motion:

That the Committee invite the Minister of Rural Economic Development to appear before the committee no later than Friday, June 7, 2019 to appear on her mandate letter.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Hardie.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

I like the idea. The timing is getting tight, of course.

Perhaps somebody could remind me. We have also asked the minister to appear to talk about the trade corridor infrastructure. I'm wondering if we could think about combining the two.

[An hon. member]

Which minister is that?

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

I'm asking somebody to remind me of what we agreed to, to get if not the minister then somebody to come in and talk about the—

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Are you referring to the Indigenous Affairs—

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

No, I thought there had been a motion earlier to bring somebody in to talk about the national trade corridor investments and how that's going.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We will have somebody to speak about that.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Maybe that's the time when we could include this minister, because they go hand in glove.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

It's not necessarily linked entirely together, but if the timing works out, I'm certainly amenable to that. It's a thought.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

We have the motion before us.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Madam Chair—