Transport Committee on Nov. 1st, 2016

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I think some of what you're saying is beyond the scope of the bill, but nothing stops the government from embedding that into its own contractual process. My understanding is that there is another bill before Parliament that does require an analysis of the greenhouse gas emissions from each particular project, and that bill is making its way through the House of Commons.

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

In terms of the matter of tracking, measuring, and monitoring, it would be useful if your provision, and perhaps the other one, were to set up some kind of a register so that, at the end of a particular cycle, we could point back and say we've covered off all of these issues that we, as a federal government, want to see happen in our communities, as well as to ensure that over the range of projects, we're actually covering off all of the things that are important to us as a government.

Does your bill provide for some kind of a register and reporting mechanism that aggregates all of these benefits and reports back to Parliament?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

The bill does envision a reporting back to Parliament by the minister once a year on the particular projects that a community benefits analysis was applied to and what indeed those benefits were. The details of that report and the particular topics that the report would cover are something that I leave to the regulations, which hopefully will be developed, in my understanding, after the passing of this bill. If this bill were to become law, that's something that I think would be developed by the department as they move forward.

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

Would this permit or encourage Buy Canada provisions? In other words, if we were going to build a bridge, would we say that we would rather have the steel procured in Canada?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

The community benefits analysis would be one more item in the contract. When the minister decides to use this tool, it will be embedded in the contract. It will be one more check. The weight of that check, that weight of that item in the contract, is something that goes to the sum of all the other parts that constitute a contract.

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

Specifically to the question, could we have a Buy Canada provision as part of your initiative?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

The only scenario I would see that in is if you have a Canada-wide project and Canadians say that's the benefit they want from that particular project.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Sikand.

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you for being here.

I was actually curious about this. I think you mentioned Ontario's Bill 6, but I'd like to know the impetus, or the genesis, if you will, behind this bill.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I felt that it was important to do two things. One is to pursue a goal of trying to maximize the tax dollars that we use on infrastructure. The second thing I would like to do with this bill is bring the notion of community benefits to the federal realm. As I've said, the only province that has moved on this in Canada is Ontario; however, we've had community benefits types of projects across the country. The other advantage I've had through the consultation process is to learn about what is working with the Ontario legislation and what's not.

I think it would be a big step forward if the federal government, as the largest spender on infrastructure in Canada, were to move on this issue and embed community benefit agreements in their contracting process.

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

How much time do I have?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

You still have four minutes.

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Really quickly, one of the concerns that does come up is that some might say this would add red tape or additional costs if it were implemented. How do you reconcile that?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

It would not add red tape at all. It would be one more line in the contract that basically asks if there will be community benefits emanating from this project and what they are. It's an extra box in the already numerous requirements within a contract with the federal government.

It wouldn't add any additional red tape and it wouldn't add costs, because the more communities are consulted, the more they are already in the driver's seat for identifying what kinds of benefits they would get from a project. When they start to see those benefits emanating from a project, they're more likely to get behind a project and not slow it down with opposition. That saves time, and it saves money for the contractor and for the government.

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Also, there's the social cost that's gained.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Yes.

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

I'd like to split my time, please.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Iacono.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would also like to thank my dear colleague, Mr. Hussen, for being with us this morning.

Clause 1 of your bill notes “any other specific benefit identified by the community”.

How could the community identify the benefits?

Would a consultation process be launched?

If not, how else could the community identify the benefits that it wants for a project?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

The bill does envision a consultation process for the particular community to identify what benefits they'd like to see. This is not an abstract notion. This actually happens in Canada. Municipalities consult with local communities all the time on what they would like to see embedded in a particular project, so this would be in the same line.

You would have a contractor, and in order to be able to demonstrate what benefits they would provide, they would have to consult the community and identify what the community wants. Nothing stops a local grassroots organization—or organizations—from assisting the community in coming together for that consultation process.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Why do you think it's important that an annual report on the local benefits of work related to public works be tabled in Parliament?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I thought it would give us an annual macro-picture of when this tool was used by the federal government. It would give us a list of the infrastructure projects for which a community benefits analysis was done and tell us whether those benefits were in fact delivered. So it gives us not just a snapshot for a particular period but a much broader picture for a whole year, and we would see the federal spending on these projects and the tools that the minister used and then, finally, whether those benefits were indeed delivered. You would be able to actually follow through on that report, almost like a spreadsheet, and you would see how much money the federal government spent on this particular project, what benefit the community identified and then whether those benefits were in fact delivered fully or partially.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you.

Do I have a little time left?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

You have 30 seconds.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

I will give the time to Mr. Fraser.