No. H 221/07
For release - November 26, 2007

CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES SIGN MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION LEADING TO INCREASED BORDER CAPACITY AND AN EFFICIENT AND SECURE DETROIT-WINDSOR CORRIDOR

OTTAWA — Today in Washington, D.C., the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and United States Secretary of Transportation, Mary E. Peters, announced that the two countries have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to maintain a high priority on the development of enhanced capacity of the border-crossing infrastructure in the Detroit-Windsor region. The MOC follows the direction given at the North American Leaders' Summit on August 21, 2007, in Montebello, Quebec, Canada by the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States.

"Canada is experiencing the second-largest period of economic expansion in Canadian history. That is why the Government of Canada is committed to developing additional border capacity along the Windsor-Detroit corridor," said Minister Cannon. "It is a crucial support to the continued growth of the economies of Canada and the United States."

"Providing new capacity at this critical crossing will strengthen our economies, cut congestion, and improve the flow of goods and people that define the special relationship between our two nations," Secretary Peters said.

Increased border crossing capacity and an efficient and secure Windsor-Detroit Corridor are key priorities for the governments of Canada and the United States. The MOC provides opportunities for the two governments to commit publicly to continue working together to develop a crossing that not only benefits the economies of Michigan and Ontario, but supports the economies of our two countries. Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation will coordinate with interested federal agencies and with provincial and state partners to strengthen collaboration on this critical project.

A backgrounder on the Detroit River International Crossing project is attached.

- 30 -

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at www.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.

BACKGROUNDER

DETROIT RIVER INTERNATIONAL CROSSING PROJECT

To enhance the movement of international trade and travel across our shared border at Windsor-Detroit, the governments of Canada (Transport Canada); the United States (U.S. Federal Highway Administration – FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation); Ontario (Ontario Ministry of Transportation – MTO); and Michigan (Michigan Department of Transportation – MDOT), have been working in a bi-national partnership to implement a 30-year transportation strategy to meet the long-term transportation and mobility needs of the area.

The partnership is considering an entire border transportation system with new river crossing, inspection plazas, and access roads. This Detroit River International Crossing Project (DRIC) aims to achieve an end-to-end solution that will best meet current and future mobility needs, while minimizing impacts on the surrounding communities and environment to the greatest practical extent.

The first stage of this process was completed with the publishing of the Planning/Needs and Feasibility Study in January 2004. As part of the second stage leading to the implementation of major transportation improvements, the Partnership proceeded with a formal harmonized, comprehensive environmental study process in February 2005. The DRIC study team presented 15 river crossing alternatives with their associated plazas and access roads for public consultation in June 2005.

In March 2006, the partnership announced that the new crossing would be a bridge and identified three specific options for the river crossing and inspection plazas and design alternatives for the identified connecting roads that would be subject to further detailed assessment.

The next phase of the study is examining the opportunities and challenges of the various specific options in more detail. Technical work that is currently underway as part of the environmental assessment process includes: seismic studies; acoustic site reviews and noise assessment/modelling; air quality assessments; archeological studies, and mitigation studies. The technical team continues to actively engage the community and stakeholders in this process through public meetings and open houses in both Canada and the United States.

Detailed evaluation of these options will lead to identification of a single preferred alternative by the spring of 2008. The environmental assessment documentation will be submitted for approval by governmental authorities by late 2008 with formal approvals expected in 2009.

Concurrent with the environmental assessment process, the bi-national partners are working to develop a governance regime for the new border crossing, which will provide for appropriate public oversight in both countries, and the means to procure the crossing. The Government of Canada has constitutional jurisdiction over the Canadian half of the crossing and has stated its preference to enter into partnerships with the private sector to design, build, finance, and operate the crossing. The State of Michigan will determine the ownership of the U.S. half.

November 2007