The Full Cost Investigation is a three-year project that has been launched by Transport Canada at the beginning of 2004 with the support of provincial and territorial departments of transport. Representatives of these departments are collaborating in the investigation within a Steering Committee under the Planning and Policy Support Committee of the Council of Deputy Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety.

The investigation of the « full costs » of transportation includes the comprehensive financial and social costs associated with infrastructures, services, vehicles, and with the movement of people and goods. Social costs refer to the costs of accidents, noise, congestion delays and environmental damages.

The working paper entitled Investigation of the Full Costs of Transportation: A Discussion Paper (September 2003) describes in detail the proposed approach. A general deck used at one of the information sharing sessions with stakeholders provides an overview of the project. The current work plan indicates the scope of the investigation.

One of the objectives of this project is to be able to make realistic comparisons between different modes for representative routes or shipments. Another objective is to identify who bears the costs of transportation.

In order to complete this project by the deadline, the issue of absolute and relative benefits and advantages of transportation has been excluded from the scope of the project. Eventually, this important dimension will have to be incorporated to include in the analysis not only the full cost but also the economic and social benefits of the sector.

Documents currently available deal either with transmodal issues or with a specific mode: road, air, rail or marine.