The House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN)
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023
Time: 11:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Location: In person and Webcast (televised meeting)
Subject: Main Estimates 2023-2024 and Supplementary Estimates (C) 2022-2023
Witnesses:
Transport Canada
- Hon. Omar Alghabra, P.C., M.P., Minister of Transport (first hour only)
- Arun Thangaraj, Deputy Minister of Transport
- Ryan Pilgrim, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services
- Stephanie Hébert, Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs
- Craig Hutton, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy
- Vincent Robitaille, Assistant Deputy Minister, High Frequency Rail
- Nicholas Robinson, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety & Security
Opening Remarks: Minister to deliver 5 mins opening remarks.
Question of witnesses:
For the first round of questioning, six (6) minutes (for both question and answer) to a representative of each party in the following order (24 mins):
- Conservative Party
- Liberal Party
- Bloc Québecois
- New Democratic Party
For the second and subsequent rounds, time allocation is as follows (25 mins):
- Conservative (5 mins);
- Liberal (5 mins);
- Bloc Québecois (2.5 mins);
- New Democratic Party (2.5 mins);
- Conservative (5 mins);
- Liberal (5 mins).
About TRAN
The Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN) was reconvened on December 16, 2021, following the opening of the 44th Parliament.
The committee can study any aspect of the management and operations of Transport Canada and Infrastructure Canada, as well as any legislation, programs or policy areas administered by the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Infrastructure. The scope of issues related to transport, infrastructure and communities is quite broad and includes:
- federal programs and policies for air, rail, road and marine transportation;
- federal infrastructure funding such as the New Building Canada Fund, and the Gateways and Border Crossing Fund;
- Crown corporations (e.g., VIA Rail Canada Inc., pilotage authorities and the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated), administrative tribunals and agencies (i.e., Transportation Appeal Tribunal and the Canadian Transportation Agency), and shared governance organizations (e.g., port and airport authorities) within the Transport and Infrastructure ministers’ portfolios; and
- a range of issues affecting productivity and quality of life in Canadian cities and communities (e.g., traffic congestion and community infrastructure).
Since the Committee has reconvened, it has undertaken several other studies while establishing its forward plan:
- Mandate of the Minister of Transport
- Mandate of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
- Canada’s Preparedness to Respond to Russian Threats to Canadian Waters, Ports and Airspace
- State of Canada’s Supply Chain
- Anticipated labour shortages in the transportation sector
- Reducing red tape and costs on rural and urban Canadian airports
- The impact of commercial shipping on shoreline erosion
- Inter-city bus transport
- Air Passenger Protection Regulations
- Supplementary Estimates (B) 2022-2023
- Impact of Commercial Shipping on Shoreline Erosion
- Deep-water port expansion projects
The Committee has also decided to undertake studies on the following subjects:
- Role of McKinsey & Company in the Creation and the Beginnings of the Canada Infrastructure Bank
- Operation of the Small Towing Vessels on Canada’s West Coast
- Adapting Infrastructure to Face Climate Change
On January 9, 2023, the Committee voted to extend its study of airport delays to hear witnesses surrounding the travel disruptions that afflicted Sunwing and VIA Rail passengers during the holiday travel season. On March 9 and 21, TRAN considered its draft report for the study in camera. The report has not yet been tabled in the House of Commons
In addition, the Committee has also adopted several reports:
- Report 2 - Emerging from the Crisis: A Study of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Air Transport Sector
- Report 3: The Canada Infrastructure Bank
- Report 4: International Civil Aviation Organization
- Report 5: Railway Safety and the Effects of Railway Operations on the Surrounding Communities in Which They Operate
- Report 6: Targeted Infrastructure Investments to Influence Social, Economic and Environmental Outcomes Report 7: Improving efficiency and resiliency in Canada’s supply chains
- Report 8: Enhancing the Efficient, Affordable Operation of Canada’s Airports
- Report 9: Addressing Labour Shortages in the Canadian Transportation Sector
Committee activity within the last year
TRAN completed twelve studies from November 2021 and March 2023. These studies touched on matters such as the threats posed by Russia on Canada’s transportation system, railway safety, labour shortages in the transportation sector, Canada’s supply chain and the reduction of costs for airports and air travel.
Study: Mandate of the Minister of Transport
- Sponsor(s): N/A.
- Span of the study: February 17, 2022 (one meeting)
- Report: N/A
Study: Mandate of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: February 28, 2022 (one meeting)
- Report: N/A
Study: Railway Safety
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: February 10 to May 12, 2022 (four meetings)
- Report 5: Railway Safety and the Effects of Railway Operations on the Surrounding Communities in Which They Operate
Study: Canada’s preparedness to respond to Russian threats to Canadian waters, ports and airspace
- Sponsor(s): Melissa Lantsman, CPC (Thornhill, ON)
- Span of the study: March 21 to March 24, 2022 (two meetings)
- Report: N/A
Study: Canada Infrastructure Bank
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: March 28, 2022 (one meeting)
- Report 3: The Canada Infrastructure Bank
Study: State of Canada’s Supply Chain
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: March 31 to September 26, 2022 (ten meetings)
- Report 7: Improving Efficiency and Resiliency in Canada’s Supply Chains
Study: International Civil Aviation Organization
- Sponsor(s): Melissa Lantsman, CPC (Thornhill, ON)
- Span of the study: Report adopted without study
- Report 4: International Civil Aviation Organization
Study: Targeted Infrastructure Investment
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: May 12, 2022 (one meeting)
- Report 6: Targeted Infrastructure Investments to Influence Social, Economic and Environmental Outcomes
Study: Reducing Red Tape and Costs on Rural and Urban Canadian Airports
- Sponsor(s): Melissa Lanstman (Thornhill, ON)
- Span of the study: May 16, 20222022 to October 3, 2022 (five meetings)
- Report 8: Enhancing the Efficient, Affordable Operation of Canada’s Airports
Study: Main Estimates 2022-2023
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: May 30, 2022 (one meeting)
- Report: N/A
Study: Anticipated Labour Shortages in the Canadian Transportation Sector
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: October 5, 2022 to November 2, 2022 (six meetings)
- Report 9: Addressing Labour Shortages in the Canadian Transportation Sector
Study: Impact of Commercial Shipping on Shoreline Erosion
- Sponsor(s): Xavier Barsalou-Duval (Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC)
- Span of the study: November 14, 2022 to November 16, 2022 (two meetings)
- Report: TBD
Study: Air Passenger Protection Regulations (including the treatment of air and rail passengers over the holidays)
- Sponsor(s): Taylor Bachrach (Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC)
- Span of the study: Ongoing from November 21, 2022 to March 23, 2023 (eleven meetings)
- Report: TBD
Study: Inter-City Transport by Bus in Canada
- Sponsor(s): Taylor Bachrach (Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC)
- Span of the study: Ongoing from November 23, 2022 to March 7, 2023 (four meetings)
- Report: TBD
Study: Large port infrastructure expansion projects in Canada
- Sponsor(s): N/A
- Span of the study: Ongoing from March 23 (two meetings)
- Report: TBD