Yes.
Evidence of meeting #4 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 funding.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #4 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 funding.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I'm told there were some problems in building the access way, the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, that they had to reinstall some of the work because it was based on Canadian construction code standards. One concern being raised with me is whether the Government of Canada is going to make sure that the aspects of going forward with the bridge are going to be compliant with Canadian code. The second question is, are we going to face delays and are we still in negotiations for the purchase of the lands on the U.S. side?
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Amarjeet Sohi Liberal Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
That's more of a technical question and I'm going to defer to my associate, Helena.
5:15 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Department of Transport
To answer your question about complying with the Canadian bridge code, yes, the project on the Canadian side will comply with the Canadian bridge code. The part of the project on the U.S. side will of course comply with the bridge code in the U.S. They are very similar, so there's not a big discrepancy.
What you're referring to on the parkway was that it did comply; it's just that the steel that was used on the...the concrete that was produced was not compliant with what Ontario had requested. But it did comply with the code.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I understand that's a P3 project. Is the government going to intervene to make sure we don't run into those problems again on safety?
5:15 p.m.
Associate Deputy Minister, Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Department of Transport
Yes.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
We've had a few problems with bridges in my city, which I won't dwell on, Mr. Minister. We want to make sure that it's top quality work.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Not to name any particular bridges....
I want to go back to green infrastructure. Why is it that we only have allocated one-third of the money for green infrastructure? Why are we not applying those kinds of criteria for all of the work the federal government is going to fund, whether it's energy efficient housing...? I'm happy to see you have a separate fund for transit, which is of course totally green, but I'm wondering what kind of screening you're going to be providing for all the other funding that your government is going to be allocating.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Amarjeet Sohi Liberal Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
What I can do at this time is talk about the high-level goals we want to achieve through these investments. One of them is to grow the economy and make our economy more productive and efficient. The other goal we want to achieve is environmental sustainability and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The third goal is to build inclusive communities. Everything needs to come together. Investments that we will make into public transit not only will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they will also deal with building inclusive communities by providing people access to public transit where they can go to work and meet with their friends, and access recreational facilities. It's the social mobility aspect of public transit.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Amarjeet Sohi Liberal Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
The second is social infrastructure which ties into green as well—retrofits for example.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
We have a few minutes left. Is there anyone else who still has questions?
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
It is very rare, Minister, that we have a minister for two hours, and you've made very interesting comments.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Dianne Lynn Watts Conservative South Surrey—White Rock, BC
Thank you. I just wanted to go back to the issue around specifically earmarking funds for federal priorities and the challenge of aligning everybody. Many of the things you are talking about are things that cities would determine unto themselves in terms of how they want to shape a city, how they build a community, all of the engagement pieces. Is there a plan to take the municipal strategies and plans, overlay them with the provincial plans, overlay that with the federal plans, and come up with a master plan on some of these issues?
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Amarjeet Sohi Liberal Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
That's an excellent question, because we are grappling with that, too, as we are looking at streamlining some of the existing money, the building Canada fund, as well as how we design the new plan, and where the alignments are with a province, a municipality, and us. But we do leave the prioritization of the projects to local communities. We won't tell communities which projects they should build, right?
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Amarjeet Sohi Liberal Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
We will look for, as I said earlier, the outcomes that we want to achieve.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Amarjeet Sohi Liberal Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
It's those outcomes tied to the three areas that I talked about.
