Transport Committee on March 21st, 2024

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

No.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Twenty-nine out of 30 municipalities in my riding don't have access to public transit.

What is one of the main issues in our rural communities? You who come from La Tuque should be able to answer that question.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

In my opening remarks, I told you about investments that my department, through Parks Canada, has made in road infrastructure since 2015. This represents a significant increase over previous investments in road infrastructure under the Harper government. Some $1.6 billion has been invested, including in Quebec, in roads and road infrastructure.

We have committed to supporting the communities that need it by developing this network.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

You have 20 seconds left, Mrs. Vien.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change is clearly unaware of the reality of Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis. He expresses an utterly gratuitous judgment of the transportation needs between the two banks in the Quebec City region, and he adopts a condescending attitude toward the Quebec government when he says he has trouble following it.

If he's brave enough, he'll go and tell the businesspeople of Quebec City and Chaudière-Appalaches what he told the public transit supporters.

Go to Quebec City; go and say what you told them.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair. I don't know if I've been asked a question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

The member is unfortunately 20 seconds over time.

Ms. Koutrakis, the floor is yours.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, would you like to take a few seconds to answer my colleague's question?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

I don't think there was an actual question.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

All right.

First of all, thank you for being here with us in the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

We have heard that the government has invested $1.6 billion since 2015. Could you take a few minutes to explain to us what impact the Parks Canada investments have had on highways and roads?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

I discussed that a bit earlier. It's quite incredible when you consider the extent of the infrastructure network that Parks Canada manages, including both road and other infrastructure. There are more than 18,000 elements in the national parks, at the historic sites and in the marine conservation areas. If we had to replace it all, it would be valued at $27 billion in 2022 dollars.

As I said earlier, our government has invested a lot more money in this infrastructure than the previous government. From 2006 to 2014, Parks Canada investments in infrastructure amounted to $1.1 billion, whereas we invested some $1.6 billion from 2015 to 2023. Our government has therefore invested $500 million more in infrastructure, particularly in transport infrastructure, through Parks Canada. We are investing nearly 50% more in that infrastructure than the previous government.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Thank you, Minister.

Earlier you cited a few examples of capital projects in British Columbia.

Could you give us some examples of capital projects that Parks Canada has carried out in Quebec, the province I come from?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

It's the province we both live in.

We could of course discuss the $59.5 million restoration of part of the Lachine canal infrastructure, which will be completed this year. There is the rehabilitation of the Bastion des Ursulines within the fortifications of Quebec City. An amount of $11.5 million has been allocated for that purpose. Then there are improvements to security and the visitor experience along Promenade Road in Mauricie National Park, which incidentally is near La Tuque. There's also the rehabilitation of Gauron and Lafleur bridges along the Lachine canal, in which we've invested nearly $6 million. These are investments that Parks Canada has made in Quebec in recent years.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Thank you, Minister.

Lastly, I'd like to give you another chance to clarify the comments you made.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you very much.

As I said, I don't claim to have been misquoted. I accept full responsibility for the comments I made. I should have been clearer and said that my comment on roads specifically referred to the third link project in Quebec City.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Ms. Koutrakis.

Mr. Barsalou‑Duval, the floor is now yours for two and a half minutes.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

To sum up the meeting, Minister, I'd like to ask you a question. Do you realize that the remarks you made on February 12 last may have pleased a few fans but that, in the end, you set back the cause of the environment by giving a direct boost to the Conservatives?

That's ultimately why we're meeting today. This caused a widespread psychodrama because people were troubled by the dogmatic comments they heard from you.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Are the fans you mentioned the people who were at the Trajectoire Québec conference? I'm not sure I—

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I'm a Trajectoire Québec supporter.

I'm talking about the people who absolutely don't want to see a single road built.

What I'd especially like to know is whether you regret the remarks you made on February 12.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

As I said, my comments should have been clearer. I accept full responsibility for that, and I blame no one but myself.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I have no more questions, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval.

Next we have Mr. Bachrach.

Mr. Bachrach, you have two and a half minutes, please.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

There's a lot of politics surrounding your comments in this meeting, and I think everyone can acknowledge that, but at the heart of it is a very important policy conversation about the balance between investing in highways and freeways and investing in public transportation.

The concept of induced demand is well established in the urban planning field. When you make certain kinds of investments in expanding highways and freeways, you actually both undermine the climate policy goal and don't solve the problem. Often the goal is to reduce congestion and to reduce travel times. If you induce demand, you can actually undermine that goal at the same time.

I'm sure, Minister, that you're in touch with the Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister of Transport on the climate impacts of different investments. How does your department contribute to that conversation when it comes to ensuring that investing in highways and freeways doesn't undermine your government's climate goals?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

You're right that for urban planners and the people who've studied the impact of road transportation, the concept of induced traffic is a well-known one.

I'm not a transport expert and I'm not an urban planner, although I did receive an award from the Order of Urban Planners of Quebec for my work on urban planning and transportation over the years. I guess they felt that it should be underlined.

We have, as a government, tried to increase the offer of different types of transportation modes through our investment, the largest investment in public transit in the history of the country, but we're also investing in roads. We're investing billions of dollars to help the auto sector in Canada modernize and transition to electrification, welcoming companies to Canada that have never invested here before, such as Volkswagen.

Also, we've created the first-ever public active transportation fund to fund such initiatives for municipalities, including rural municipalities. There's one in my hometown, a bike path, that's been established. We're working with municipalities all across the country to help people who want to diversify their mode of transportation to have access to those infrastructures as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Bachrach.

Next we have Ms. Lantsman.

Ms. Lantsman, I'll give you three minutes. We'll follow that with Mr. Rogers for three minutes.

The floor is yours.