Transcript Ottawa Update

OTTAWA UPDATE
Ted Mackay, Director
Highway, Border and Motor Carrier Policy
Transport Canada
April 24, 2013
Overview
1. Budget 2013
2. Progress on Border Issues
3. International Bridges & Tunnels Act
4. Other Priority Initiatives
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Budget 2013: Overview
Focus remains on
jobs & economy
Continue to
implement Economic
Action Plan
Eliminate deficit &
balance budget by
2015-16
No tax increases
or transfer cuts
Canada outperformed all other G-7 Economies in job creation and GDP growth over the recovery
Only G-7 country to recapture lost jobs & business investment since global economic recession
Over 950,000 new jobs created post recession
However, significant challenges remain:
Fragile global
economy
US, our biggest
trade partner,
continues to
experience
modest growth
Euro area
remains in
recession
Intensifying
global
competition
from emerging
markets
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Budget 2013: Employment and GDP
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Budget 2013: Funding
• New large-scale, long-term infrastructure commitments, including:
 Investments in Federal Infrastructure
 Beyond the Border Action Plan
 Renewal of Building Canada Plan - $47B over 10 years
 Community Improvement Fund
 Building Canada Fund
 P3 Fund
•
$10B for federal transportation infrastructure over 5 years, including:
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$127M for Canadian priority POEs
$25M over 3 years to advance DRIC project into pre-procurement
$125M for new St Lawrence Bridge in Montreal
$19M for highways and bridges in national parks
$81M over 4 years for federally-owned airports
$450M over 5 year for Small Craft Harbours Program
$53M over 2 years for Montreal’s Mercier Bridge
$113M over 5 years for passenger rail services
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Progress on Border Issues
• Beyond the Border Progress Report released December 2012
• Funding for infrastructure upgrades at key border crossings
identified by Canada in the Action Plan:
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$ 47M for Lacolle, QC announced on March 27, 2013
$ 60M for Lansdowne, ON announced on April 2, 2013
$ 10M for Emerson, MB announced on April 2, 2013
$ 10M for North Portal announced on April 2, 2013
• Border Infrastructure Investment Plan (BIIP#1) prepared for
release
• Work underway on BIIP #2
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International Bridges and Tunnels Act
• New IBTA passed in Parliament in
February 2007
• Prior to Act there was no formal federal
jurisdiction to manage and oversee
international bridge and tunnel crossings
• Five-year statutory review of the Act
undertaken in 2012
• GoC approval now required for changes
and new construction
• Voluntary approach taken to monitoring
and reporting of security
• Responsibilities for administration resides among several branches
at Transport Canada. The Government of Canada has the authority
to impose penalties, including monetary, as well as potential
deconstruction
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Other Key Priorities
Rail Freight Service Review
Detroit River International Crossing
Bill C-52 progressing through Parliament
Innovative partnership
Presidential permit signed on April 12, 2013
Next steps include land acquisition and appointing
International Authority to oversee construction,
operation, & design bids for the bridge.
Provides shippers with right to service agreement &
right to arbitration
Applies to all federally-regulated railways for
movement of freight rail traffic in Canada
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Other Key Priorities
Canada/US Relations
Trade Relations
Continued cooperation
Concluding Canada-EU Comprehensive
Economic and Trade Agreement current priority.
Importance of leveraging where possible to ensure
that border issues remain at forefront of agenda for
both countries
Other priority negotiations include the Trans
Pacific Partnership, & dedicated trade in services
agreement among willing WTO Members.
In addition , Department is fully engaged in
negotiations with India, Japan and Morocco.
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Questions?
Ted Mackay
Director - Highway,
Border and Motor
Carrier Policy
Transport Canada
613-991-5981
[email protected]
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