No. H172/05
For release August 5, 2005

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA INVESTS
IN STRATEGIC PLAN AND ECONOMIC
IMPACT STUDY FOR HALIFAX GATEWAY

OTTAWA — Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today announced that the Government of Canada will invest $125,000 towards the development of Halifax as a regional transportation hub and as a competitive gateway to Canada and North America.

Transport Canada is contributing $50,000 for the development of a strategic plan, while the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is contributing $75,000 for an economic impact study. Both investments are being provided to the Halifax Gateway Council, a collaboration of transportation stakeholders operating in the Halifax area.

The strategic plan will focus on a broad range of regional transportation issues, such as land use and transportation planning, as well as infrastructure funding needs and development.

"This plan will help determine how to improve modal integration and transportation to facilitate trade and tourism in Halifax and Atlantic Canada," said Mr. Lapierre. "By examining the current transportation environment, the plan will also provide an overview of the multi-modal transportation system and identify key opportunities and challenges facing the region."

Transport Canada funding comes from the $5-million Transportation Planning and Modal Integration initiative, which helps stakeholders in urban areas and along transportation corridors boost the efficiency and sustainability of the transportation system by looking for ways to improve integration among transportation modes.

The investment in an economic impact study, announced by Minister Lapierre on behalf of Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Minister Joseph McGuire, will assess the contribution a gateway hub will have on the region’s economy.

"The Halifax area’s transportation facilities are an important gateway to Europe and the Northeastern United States," said Minister McGuire. "This study will demonstrate its importance to the Canadian economy."

The Halifax Gateway Council was established in the fall of 2003 to provide a forum for regional transportation stakeholders to work together to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the movement of goods and passengers through the Halifax region.

A backgrounder on the Transportation Planning and Modal Integration initiative is attached.

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BACKGROUNDER

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
AND MODAL INTEGRATION INITIATIVE

The Government of Canada’s vision for transportation includes a more integrated transportation system.

The national transportation system is more than the sum of its parts; it involves connections and integration of various modes and jurisdictions. A sustainable and efficient transportation system plays an important role in ensuring Canada’s competitive success in global trade where integrated logistics chains with global reach are increasingly in competition with one another.

Intermodal transportation requires that the physical and electronic connections between different modes of transportation, such as rail and marine, be fully integrated in order to increase system efficiency and reduce total transit time and costs. New technologies, improvements to traditional infrastructure and the harmonization of regulations are important in designing systems and managing the increasing demands on transportation infrastructure.

Building an integrated transportation system requires that transportation needs be considered from a system-wide and strategic perspective. Such a system requires planning and feasibility studies to assess transportation needs from a multi-modal perspective. By supporting the development of transportation-related expertise and research in the public, private and academic sectors, Transport Canada is fostering the innovation required to help our transportation system adapt to current and future challenges.

Funding for Transportation Planning and Modal Integration Initiatives is part of the Government of Canada’s $600 million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program, which was announced on April 3, 2001.

For further information on the program, please visit our website at http://www.tc.gc.ca.

August 2005