Feds want more freight shifted to sea

TORONTO, (Nov. 21, 2003) — After countless government studies justifying a shift of truck freight to rail, Transport Canada is now looking at promoting another alternative to trucking as a way to relive traffic congestion and emissions: Boats.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance reported that Transport Canada recently held meetings this fall in various regions of the country to explore short-sea shipping as an alternative to shipping by truck. The CTA said the government’s message during a meeting in Ontario seemed to be mixed, adding the government reiterated the need to cooperate with the trucking industry, while proposing a plan to move more freight by seaway.

The government’s stance is similar to years of rail promotion, and hints to subsidize rail operations as a method of taking trucks off the road.

CTA Chief David Bradley, who emphasized the trucking sector remains the only freight mode to use regulated fuels and engines –said resources should be concentrated on improving the efficiency of the trucking industry — proven in recent history “to be the business community’s preferred way of moving Canada’s freight.”