WINNIPEG – Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, was in Winnipeg on July 21st wrapping up a series of roundtables that gave Canadians in diverse communities across Canada the chance to have their say in how Canada’s transportation system will serve them in the future. “I wanted to hear from Canadians and the feedback I have heard during these past months has been incredibly valuable. This rich and diversified input will play a major role in defining my agenda for transportation in Canada. I thank everyone who has participated and provided feedback and I invite those who have not had the opportunity to do so to send me their input before September 16, 2016,” stated Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport
In April 2016, the Minister launched a public consultation with Canadians, stakeholders, and provinces and territories to hear their views and discuss ideas to develop a long-term agenda for transportation in Canada.
As part of this consultation process, the Minister travelled over 18,000 kilometres from coast to coast to host eight roundtables with more than one hundred key industry representatives, academia and thinkers, and Indigenous groups across Canada. The discussions focused on the following five themes:
- Safer transportation;
- Trade corridors to global markets;
- Green and innovative transportation;
- The traveller; and,
- Waterways, coasts and the North.
Discussions highlighted the importance of understanding the complexity of the integrated national transportation system, in order to find good solutions that will best serve Canadians, travellers and shippers. They provided valuable input such as the need to:
- Promote collaboration between all partners and align limited resources.
- Look at how the multimodal transportation system functions as a whole to move freight and passengers efficiently, safely and sustainably.
- Adopt a long-term view in terms of funding, policy, regulations, and support for innovation over time.
- Rely upon market forces where possible and apply incentives or regulations as required to address gaps.
- Continue to gather transportation data to ensure better and timely evidence for decision-making.
An online discussion on the theme of “The Passenger” was also held in June 2016 where the Minister invited all Canadians to discuss issues affecting passengers.
As part of this consultation process, Minister Garneau will meet with his provincial and territorial counterparts in late September to discuss opportunities and priority areas of collaboration to enhance Canada’s transportation system.
Quick Facts
- There are three ways Canadians can participate in these consultations:
- complete an online survey;
- write on Transport Canada’s Facebook and Twitter accounts; and,
- send comments and ideas to TC.Transportationfuture-Lefuturdestransports.TC@tc.gc.ca.
- Participant lists, discussion guides and summaries of each roundtable are posted on Transport Canada’s website as they are finalized.
