Thank you. I want to thank you for inviting me to this hearing, this consultation.
A large percentage of consumer goods for the island of Newfoundland, the lower north shore of Quebec and southern Labrador come in via Marine Atlantic. This likely explains the higher cost of living in our area. This past winter, an inordinate number of crossings were cancelled due to weather and ice conditions. The same applied to the crossings of Labrador Marine on the Strait of Belle Isle. According to climate change experts, we can expect these weather conditions to continue and possibly worsen into the future.
This problem in large part can be resolved by completing Route 138 on the lower north shore of Quebec and by the construction of a fixed link between the island of Newfoundland and the south shore of Labrador. The completion of this project would greatly reduce the transportation time getting goods from central Canada to our area.
The communities on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador and the communities on the lower north shore of Quebec are isolated, remote and dependent on Marine Atlantic and Labrador Marine for delivery of consumer goods. There are many delays in the winter months due to high winds and/or ice conditions, and this was particularly true this past winter.
Quality of produce and other goods suffers due to the delays, and travel time from our area to the mainland of Canada is far too long and costly. To travel by road from the tip of the Northern Peninsula to Sydney, Nova Scotia, a distance of approximately 900 kilometres, generally takes in the neighbourhood of 24 hours or more, taking into consideration the waiting time at the Marine Atlantic terminal and a six- or seven-hour crossing.
Cellphone coverage in our area is sporadic at best, with many communities having no coverage at all. There's also a need for high-speed Internet.
Completion of Route 138 in Quebec and construction of a fixed link from the island of Newfoundland to the south coast of Labrador will resolve many of the issues we face today.
There are obvious benefits to tourism. Tourists will be able to enter Newfoundland and Labrador through Quebec and return via Port Aux Basques or vice versa, therefore not retracing their steps.
Completing the two projects will have significant economic benefits to the area. First, it will provide employment opportunities for local residents during construction, and upon completion, additional employment opportunities will come about because of increased traffic. There should also be opportunities for new businesses such as restaurants, gas bars, hotels, B and Bs, etc.
Thank you.