SPEAKING NOTES FOR
THE HONOURABLE LAWRENCE CANNON,
MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE
AND COMMUNITIES,
TO THE CANADIAN URBAN
TRANSIT ASSOCIATION

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA
JUNE 13, 2007

See Video Here

Thank you for your kind introduction, and for this opportunity to address your annual conference.

I am sorry I cannot join you personally in Halifax. When I look at the success of the Urban Transportation Showcase Program in Halifax, as well as the good investments that Nova Scotia municipalities have made as a result of our Public Transit Fund and our Gas Tax Fund, I can't help but agree that Halifax is a great place for you to gather for this meeting.

When I was a municipal leader, federal involvement in public transit was negligible. When I became Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, I vowed I was going to change that.

Today, I'm proud to say that we've made a lot of progress.

It's time to end the misperception out there that there is no or minimal federal involvement - and minimal federal money - for public transit. Because that is not the case. We have identified the challenges, and we are acting.

Let me provide the larger context. As you know, much of Canada's public infrastructure is nearing the end of its expected lifespan. I am certain that you are all too familiar with the different methods available to extend the life of transit buses. We need to upgrade and replace physical assets.

So we have addressed this challenge as part of our vision for a stronger, safer, and better Canada. We will build that vision in part on a foundation of modern infrastructure.

This will require long-term planning, significant investments, and a focus that ensures these investments deliver maximum benefits. If we can replace our aging infrastructure in a way that, for example, helps support public transit, we can address many problems at once - congestion, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental footprint, to name just a few.

Investing in the right infrastructure will help us sustain our growing economy. It will lead to increased trade, and the seamless and secure movement of goods and people. Our gateway and corridor policies are crucial for this, but these investments will also alleviate some of the trade-related congestion and noise in our communities.

The right infrastructure investments will lead to stronger and healthier communities, where we cut commute times, and reduce the environmental effects of our dependence on cars.

And we have indeed made significant commitments to infrastructure investment - in fact, the largest investments in infrastructure since the Second World War.

Budget 2007 built on that momentum. It made an historic investment of more than $16 billion over seven years. In total, there is $33 billion in projected investments for our long-term infrastructure plan.

The investment comes from several sources. The municipalities now enjoy unprecedented predictable and long-term base funding through the Gas Tax Fund and the 100 percent rebate that they receive on the GST they pay. The Gas Tax Fund has been extended until 2014.

The Building Canada Fund allocates money to provinces and territories on a per capita basis. The funding supports investments in projects that help to preserve the environment such as sewage treatment, clean water and, yes, public transit.

I think you will agree that we are making historic commitments to infrastructure. Now the challenge is to find ways to ensure that those investments yield the greatest possible benefits. The money is there. Now let's build a consensus on the best places to invest it.

For several months now, we have been working on our proposals for an ambitious and wide-ranging Infrastructure Plan. We have been discussing this with the provinces, territories, municipalities and stakeholders, and those discussions will continue. But we do not have the luxury of endless discussion. Our main objective is to get the Infrastructure Plan right.

We need to ensure that the need for large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the Manitoba Floodway, the clean up of the Saint John Harbour in New Brunswick, or the $2-billion Spadina-York TTC expansion are balanced with smaller communities' needs. We will work with you to find ways to ensure that public transit has its share of funding.

Our next step for the Infrastructure Plan is to negotiate agreements with provinces and territories, over the course of the summer. Once these agreements are in place, we can then discuss priorities, and funding new projects that will drive growth in Canadian cities. And we'll do this through programming that provides cities and communities - big and small - with access to the Building Canada Fund. That's a clear budgetary commitment. This Fund is not just for provincial or territorial projects.

Federal investment already support a wide range of infrastructure projects: This investment will support roads and highways, public transit, bridges, sewer and water systems and green energy. These It will help build a stronger, safer and better Canada through modern world-class public infrastructure. And in the process, we will increase public transit ridership and improve mobility.

Clearly there is an important federal role for public transit. We can play a major part in helping provinces, territories and municipalities develop more successful transit systems. In the past, much of the attention was focused on the physical infrastructure that is constructed as a result of federal investment in urban transit.

But we would be wrong to focus entirely on federal investment as our only contribution to public transit. We do much more because public transit is not simply about building infrastructure. It's about changing behaviour. It's about getting people out of their cars and using more sustainable transportation choices. It's about keeping our communities healthy, safe and secure.

One of the most significant contributions the Government of Canada can make to public transit is to serve as the national facilitator, moderator, and consensus builder. We can bring the various stakeholders to the table so that, together,  we can discuss how to make the best use of our collective infrastructure investments and efforts.

For some time now, your organization and others have called for the federal government to play a greater role in this regard. I am pleased to report that, earlier this month, I announced that we will develop a National Transit Strategy. Over the coming months, we will consult with provinces and territories, CUTA, the FCM, and other interested partners, and we will develop this strategy together in true partnership and in the spirit of the New Government's commitment to the values of open federalism.

As part of this Strategy, I am proposing the creation of a National Transit Forum. This body could bring together provincial partners, CUTA and the FCM. The Forum could become the venue for discussion, learning, coordination, collaboration and priority setting.

Over the summer, we will circulate a discussion document to targeted audiences, including CUTA, to obtain input and feedback on the proposed strategy. By the fall, I want to consolidate the responses we receive from this document, and convene the first meeting of a National Transit Forum to seek agreement on a final strategy and discuss next steps.

It is about facilitating greater coordination and collaboration between key funders and stakeholders in areas such as capacity building, best practices, performance measurement, and accountability.

It is about increasing transit ridership and enhancing quality of life.

It's about deciding upon common performance measures so that we can all assess our progress, and tell where more effort or money may be required.

We must work together to build a National Transit Strategy. We cannot apply a top-down approach for this. It must be a collaborative approach between jurisdictions to take advantage of the unique capabilities of each order of government and key stakeholders.

For example, the federal government has a role in providing financial support for infrastructure and fiscal measures such as our Public Transit Tax Credit. As well the federal government has legislative frameworks, such as Bill C-11 which has new provisions for urban rail providers.

And, the federal government can provide valuable contributions to capacity building, research, development and demonstration, as well as a role as a national convener and enabler.

Many provinces also provide financial support for capital and operations, legislative frameworks and guidelines such as land use legislation, as promoting regional planning.

And of course, municipalities plan, finance and operate systems, and enact local measures that support transit, such as land use measures or outreach activities. And please, if I have left anything out, these are just examples.

The main point is that everyone can play a role, but our objective must be the same: build a public transit system of such quality and calibre that people will want to use it.

Build a transit system that moves people easily, safely, securely and efficiently, that provides a source of competitive strength for our communities. Build a transit system that helps reduce our ecological footprint, and cuts back on congestion, smog and greenhouse gases. Build a public transit system that will be a source of pride for Canadians for generations to come.

That's my vision for the future of public transit in Canada. It's part of a much broader vision that sees us investing now in the public infrastructure that will build Canada for the 21^st century.

I hope you have all had a very enjoyable and thought-provoking conference so far, and that I will be able to join you in person, next time.