No. H079/00
For release October 13, 2000

TRANSPORT MINISTER ANNOUNCES MEMORANDUM 
OF COOPERATION BETWEEN U.S. AND CANADA 
ON SURFACE TRANSPORTATION MATTERS

OTTAWA — Transport Minister David Collenette, along with U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Rodney Slater, today signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation to enhance collaboration on surface transportation matters.

"The increasing amount of traffic from trade and tourism between Canada and the United States is creating delays at our shared border and this has a negative impact on both of our economies," said Mr. Collenette. "By collaborating with our U.S. counterparts on matters of concern — such as intelligent transportation systems and common border/corridor strategies — we will improve our ability to understand, plan and develop a more modern transportation system."

The memorandum covers issues of mutual interest such as:

• the development of common border and corridor strategy projects that are of mutual interest;
• the collection and sharing of information on current and future North American transportation needs, including intermodal issues;
• the development and implementation of intelligent transportation systems architecture, standards and joint deployment initiatives; and
• the promotion of more frequent high-level communication between Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The full text of the memorandum is attached.

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Contact: 

Anthny Polci
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport, Ottawa
(613) 991-0700

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MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES 
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSPORT CANADA

WHEREAS the Department of Transportation of the United States of America and Transport Canada desire to enhance collaboration on transportation matters of mutual interest including:

• the need to address solutions for resolving current and future North American transportation issues;
• the need to develop a common border/corridor strategy and for better coordination between the United States and Canada;
• the need to cooperate on developing and implementing national polices on intermodalism; and
• the need for more frequent high-level communication between Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation;

AND WHEREAS the U.S. Department of Transportation and Transport Canada recognize that the significantly increased trade flows and passenger flows between the United States and Canada are exerting pressure on our shared land border and that the resulting border delays have a negative impact on the logistics supply chain and the economy;

AND WHEREAS establishment of common data elements, data identification, collection, and analysis is of paramount importance in understanding, planning and deployment of interoperable transportation systems of the future;

AND WHEREAS transportation research and development, including intelligent transportation systems (ITS), is a high priority for both the U.S. Department of Transportation and Transport Canada.

The Department of Transportation of the United States of America and Transport Canada intend to enhance collaboration and cooperation on:

1. corridor/border projects and new programs of mutual interest;
2. mapping freight flows, collecting data and identifying data gaps that need to be filled to help identify pressure points on the transportation and intermodal freight system in North America;
3. the development of an ITS architecture for North America which includes common data elements and a common border architecture, intermodal freight architecture, and commercial vehicle architecture; and the use of this architecture to guide deployment of interoperable strategic ITS applications along the border;
4. the development of North American standards for intelligent transportation systems which focus on priorities of mutual interest and avoid duplicative efforts;
5. development of uniform approaches to expedited processing of commercial vehicles through border crossings, while satisfying the requirements of all governmental jurisdictions; federal, state and provincial;
6. increasing the degree and speed of communication between the two departments to ensure that each is kept apprised of developments and initiatives in the other country; and
7. meeting more regularly to conduct information exchanges and discuss issues of mutual concern.

Signed in Washington, DC, on this 13th day of October 2000.