TRAN Committee Report

Given the many benefits of transit services, the Committee recommends:

As part of the new infrastructure plan that will replace the Building Canada Plan after its expiry in 2014, that the Government of Canada should continue to recognize the importance of transit to the economic health, quality of life and technological advancement of Canadian communities and the people who live in those communities.

We recommend the following parameters for assessing the effectiveness of every investment in transit by the Government of Canada:

·          Growth in access to and use of transit;

·          Improvement of productivity through reduction in commute times and congestion;

·          Economic impact through the number of jobs created and other GDP benefits;

·          Decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and improvement of air quality;

·          Utilize federal funding in an incremental way, i.e. no displacement of provincial and municipal resources.

The Committee recommends:

That the Government of Canada establish a new long-term infrastructure funding program, similar to the Building Canada Plan, for post-2014 that includes transit as an eligible investment category.

The Committee recommends:

That the Government of Canada continue to recognize the unique needs of urban and rural communities in Canada by allowing flexibility in the use of funds by municipalities.

The Committee recommends:

That the Government of Canada continue to support the long-term usability of transit infrastructures.

The Committee recommends:

That the Government of Canada continue to recognize the need to form a strong partnership with the provinces, the territories, municipalities, as it has by launching a formal engagement process on the long-term infrastructure plan.

The Committee recommends:

That all levels of government should pursue greater private sector involvement in the provision of mass transit.

That the Government of Canada continue to recognize the importance of private partners in transit and consider carrying out infrastructure projects through public-private partnerships where the conditions are met.