As necessary, great. Okay.
I'm happy to be here today with officials from the department, and the portfolio heads. Unfortunately, as you've already discussed, the minister is unable to be here due to the scheduling changes, but I'm happy to talk about the main estimates.
Please let me begin by saying a few words about the department's mandate. As Minister Garneau says frequently, both publicly and to his officials, the first priority of Transport Canada is the safety and security of Canadians across all modes of transport.
Since new risks are always emerging, protection of Canadian citizens requires constant vigilance and scrutiny on the part of departmental officials. Transport Canada also supports the government's mandate to grow the economy and support trade. A modern, efficient transportation system is key to achieving those goals.
Canada lives by trade. For our country to prosper we must be able to get products to markets around the world. To do that we need well-functioning ports, airlines, railways, and to ensure shippers are able to move goods smoothly through our trade corridors and gateways.
Of course, we must do this in a manner that provides the highest level of protection to the environment. Our 2017-18 main estimates lay out how the department plans to play our resources to advance this agenda. Transport Canada is not asking for any additional appropriations through supplementary estimates (C) for 2016-17. All the funding we need to deliver our mandate for the fiscal year ending had already been accessed in previous estimates.
In the main estimates for 2017-18, Transport Canada is seeking access to $1.3 billion to cover our planned expenditures, which include $596.6 million for operating expenditures, $138.5 million for capital expenditures, $336.7 million for grants and contributions, and $230.8 million in statutory authorities. This represents an increase of $36.9 million from the planned spending in last year's main estimates.
The increase is largely due to new funding required to enhance the safety of railways and the transportation of dangerous goods, and to do things like expand inspection capabilities, support training for more consistent oversight across the country, and improve systems for testing, classifying, registering, and mapping dangerous goods.
Additional funds will also support the ports asset transfer program. Some of the programs Transport Canada has administered over the past several years are winding down, such as the Asia-Pacific gateway and corridor initiative. As projects are completed, in some cases the actual costs are less than estimated, so you will see a decrease in the grants and contributions funding required.
We are working to develop new programming that will build on the success of the Asia-Pacific gateways program. Some of that was referred to in the budget tabled yesterday. I will defer to the minister, when he appears, to describe the budget priorities of the Government of Canada.
We would anticipate seeing those resources added to the reference levels of the department and many of the key crown corporations, whose representatives are sitting around the table, in the supplementary estimates for 2017-18.
Madam Chair, please allow me to close by saying Transport Canada is very committed to sound fiscal management and stewardship of government resources on behalf of Canadian taxpayers.
With that, I would say we are now happy to answer any questions you may have on the part of the department or on the part of the agencies in the transport portfolio. Thank you very much. Merci.