Collenette: Expect private-public partnerships — and tolls — to pay for new highways

TORONTO (Sept. 17, 1999) — Some form of private-public partnership will be needed in order to pay the enormous cost to rebuild Canada’s highways, federal Transport Minister David Collenette said yesterday during a lunchtime address at the 1999 annual general meeting of the Private Motor Truck Council.

Such arrangements would likely mean more toll roads, even though the public appears divided on whether highway funding should come from user fees or general tax revenue, he said.

The cost to upgrade Canada’s 25,000-kilometre National Highway System has been estimated at $17.4 billion.

“I am personally in favor of more federal-government spending, in co-operation with the provinces, on highway improvement,” Collenette said, “but this is an uphill battle in Cabinet.” He further observed that the federal government and all the provinces agreed in the 1980s – and recently reaffirmed – on the definition of just exactly what 25,000 km or so of highways constitutes the National Highway System in Canada.

The minister noted that a 1954 court decision gave the federal government responsibility for interprovincial commercial transportation, but that Ottawa quickly delegated that power back to the provinces. While this ultimate authority still rests with Ottawa, it would be politically very difficult after 45 years to unilaterally reimpose federal initiatives such as the National Safety Code or its carrier safety ratings component.

However, he said Ottawa will continue to press for passage of Bill C-77, amendments to the Motor Vehicle Transport Act that would, in essence, give the federal government more control over how provinces monitor and enforce motor carrier safety.

“The fate of bill C-77 is uncertain,” Collenette said, “but if Parliament rises without its passage, then we will have to consider the best way to re-introduce its various provisions.”

Given than some provinces are still not on-side regarding certain aspects of the bill, Collenette hinted that the cornerstone of the proposed legislation, the establishment of national standards for a motor carrier safety rating system, might be re-introduced separately. This would facilitate implementation, since he felt that there is more provincial consensus – and popular support – for getting this program finalized.

“I think we as politicians should get our minds off of constitutional jurisdictional issues, however, and look at what’s good for the consumer, the [truck] operator, and the economy,” he declared.

Collenette also touched onharmonization of regulations with the United States and Mexico, and noted with satisfaction the recent agreement with the U.S. whereby driver medical certifications will be mutually accepted, and indicated that similar resolutions on other issues must be pursued.