Winnipeg, Manitoba
March 12, 2013
Check against delivery
Thank you for inviting me to join you. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and to learn more about trucking in Manitoba and in Canada.
I have recently had the pleasure of meeting with trucking industry representatives across the country, to get a first-hand appreciation of your industry and the challenges it faces.
When it comes to moving the goods that move Canada's economy, the trucking industry is one of this country's major players.
It plays a critical role, not only in our domestic transportation system and the Canadian economy, but also in our trading relationship with the United States.
I expect you know the figures.
That trucks move some 90 per cent of all consumer products in Canada.
That trucking generates revenues totalling over 65 billion dollars a year and employs some 400,000 Canadians.
Your industry is a critical link in the supply chains that move goods from producers and suppliers to markets, whether those markets are here in Canada, in the United States or overseas.
It really boils down to this: when Canadians go to the store to buy a product, it's a product that probably reached that store by truck. As the saying goes, if you got it, a truck brought it.
As you probably know, I come from Manitoba, so I know well the importance of trucking here.
The transportation and warehousing industry employs 5.7 per cent of Manitoba's labour force, and makes up 6 to 7 per cent of the provincial GDP.
Truck drivers here may not face the traffic of Toronto or Montreal, but they often drive distances through road conditions that show what the phrase "in for the long haul" really means.
So I respect and appreciate the work of both truckers and your association that represents them.
Transport Canada has many forms of cooperation and shared interests with the trucking industry. But when it comes to regulating trucking, the federal government has a limited role.
Provinces and territories own most highways in Canada, so we do not have direct responsibility for these roads or for most of the rules that truckers must follow to travel on them.
At the same time, we are responsible for a number of issues affecting trucking, including hours of service and some environmental regulations.
For example, as motor carrier safety in Canada is a joint responsibility between the federal government and the provinces/territories, Transport Canada continues to work with other governments to ensure that trucking safety rules remain consistent across the country.
I can assure you that my government will continue to work to promote harmonization in trucking rules, coast-to-coast. The goal is clear- but getting there, as you know, can be more difficult.
That's why we are working with the provinces and territories on Safety Rating Reciprocity and to establish National Safety Code standards in areas such as Cargo Securement, Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspections, and Electronic On-Board Recorders.
And it is why we provide funding to the provinces and territories – to the tune of approximately 4 million dollars a year – in order to improve safety through consistent implementation and enforcement of NSC standards.
I know there are a number of issues of interest to the trucking community that do fall under the responsibility of Transport Canada or other federal departments, matters such as tax policy, environmental regulations, border issues and labour regulation.
Based on the meetings I have had recently with trucking associations across the country, I understand that Electronic-on Board-Recorders, Roll Stability Control and indemnification clauses in freight contracts are important concerns for the industry.
Also, I know your industry has identified driver shortages as a major problem, and this could be a particular concern in the fast-growing Western provinces.
So I applaud that the industry is acting to address the issue by launching a new organization ("Trucking Human Resources Canada") to address driver shortages. Let's continue dialogue on this issue because, if not addressed, driver shortages could become acute and a brake not just on your industry but on the wider economy.
I know that access to the United States, and border efficiency, are also of great importance to the trucking industry.
In the Canada – U.S. Beyond the Border Action Plan, the Government of Canada and the U.S. are bringing forward initiatives on border infrastructure, technology and security that will facilitate trade and travel between Canada and the U.S. These include the installation of border wait time measurement technology at key border crossings, improvements to trusted trader programs, and improved border crossing infrastructure.
As part of this plan, Canada and the U.S. agreed to make "significant investments" at key border crossings. Based on a preliminary assessment of needs, Canada identified Emerson, Manitoba as one of the first five initial priority crossings. I hope that I will have more information to provide you in the near future on that project.
While we don't own the roads, we do help pay for them. In fact, the federal government has provided significant levels of highway infrastructure funding through various programs under the Building Canada Plan, the government's flagship initiative to strengthen Canada's infrastructure.
In recent years, the government has accomplished much through its investment in infrastructure projects across the country. And I know that late last year, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) submitted a list of its road, bridge and other infrastructure priorities the government might consider for future funding.
The Government of Canada has supported a number of infrastructure projects in Manitoba in recent years. For example, the Federal Government invested $42.5 million in Highway 75 through the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund (GBCF). Strategic funding has also been granted to Centre Port Canada and the Port of Churchill recently.
Our government is following through on its commitment to work with provinces, territories, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and key stakeholders to develop a future long-term infrastructure plan.
Over the summer and fall, Minister Lebel and I met with almost 200 representatives to guide the development of a future long-term plan that will support jobs, growth and prosperity.
We recognize that there is a need for strong, sustained and effective investment that also respects taxpayers' ability to pay, and that any decisions must be made in the context of the Government of Canada's current fiscal situation. To ensure affordability over the long term, a future plan will encourage greater use of public-private partnerships. This will help leverage new investments in infrastructure.
But I can tell you that, while most of the actual Building Canada Plan has been committed to projects, this funding will continue to flow beyond 2014, as construction continues on major projects across the country.
As well, in 2011, the government passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent source of funding for municipalities, at two billion dollars per year.
This means that communities across Canada will be able to count on stable, predictable funding for their infrastructure needs.
Before closing, I'd like to mention a review of Transport Canada regulations that I have been leading.
Our government is committed to streamlining regulations and reducing regulatory burden on Canadian businesses. We want our regulatory system to provide value to Canadians taxpayers, consumers and industry.
As part of this review, I have consulted with many stakeholders by correspondence and met with some by way of roundtable sessions and I have asked them to inform me of areas of regulation that they believe could be improved.
Coming from these efforts, I will be providing a final report to Minister Lebel this spring to provide an overview of Transport Canada's regulatory framework and identify regulations that should be repealed or amended.
To prosper in today's global economy, we need all transportation networks in Canada to be efficient, fast and reliable.
Anything less will make Canada less competitive with markets and shippers around the world.
What this means for the trucking industry is simple.
As trade increases and we continue to improve global supply chains, if you thought you were important before, you're going to be even more important in the future.
I know you are up for the challenge.
And I hope you feel that the government is behind you, as we work together to support growth, create jobs and build prosperity for Canada.
Thank you.
