Federal budget affirms lack of Ottawa’s commitment to highways, provinces say

VICTORIA, B.C. (Feb. 18) — Across Canada, provincial transport officials expressed their disappointment with the lack of money for highway improvements in the 1999 federal budget.

“This budget contains some good news for Canadians, offering higher personal tax exemptions and more funding for health care,” said B.C. Transportation and Highways Minister Harry Lali. “Unfortunately, there is no mention of the need for a national transportation investment strategy, despite recent statements from federal Transport Minister David Collenette on the urgency of this issue.”

Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation Minister Judy Bradley said her province needs federal dollars to repair roads after federal changes to grain policy prompted a shift of freight from rail to roads.

The province is committed to twinning the Trans Canada Highway across the province and the Yellowhead Highway from North Battleford within 15 years, she said. It is estimated to cost $132 million to complete twinning the TransCanada and $57 million to complete the Yellowhead to the Alberta border. It would take less time with federal help.

An intergovernmental report released last December showed that Canada’s 25,000-kilometre designated national highway system needs $17.2 billion to correct deficiencies. The report says such an investment would contribute an estimated $30 billion in benefits to the economy.