SUPPLEMENTARY MANDATE LETTER COMMITMENTS - KEY MESSAGES

supplementary mandate letter from january 15, 2021

1. Ensure canadians get refunds for air travel cancelled due to the pandemic

• Through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, our Government announced an additional $1.1 billion in financial support for the air sector through a series of targeted measures designed to support regional connectivity, critical infrastructure investments, and the continued operation of Canada’s airports.

• Our Government also committed under the Fall Economic Statement to engaging with Canada’s major air carriers regarding potential options for financial assistance and, as a part of that process, we committed to ensuring that Canadians are refunded for cancelled flights. As noted by my predecessor, on November 8, 2020, any assistance the Government of Canada provides will come with strict conditions to protect Canadians and the public interest in this challenging time.

• Furthermore, we will ensure Canadians and regional communities retain air connections to the rest of Canada, and that Canadian air carriers maintain their status as key customers of Canada’s aerospace industry. The Government’s commitment to regional air service was also underscored in the recent Speech from the Throne.

• Since the onset of the pandemic, my department has been working closely with their counterparts from Industry, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Finance Canada, and Global Affairs Canada to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 on the air transport sector.

• As Minister of Transport, I remain committed to supporting Canadians to shift towards cleaner technologies, including by making zero-emission vehicles more affordable.

• Our Government committed to provide an additional $287 million to the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement. This program has helped over 70,000 Canadians and Canadian businesses make the switch to these cleaner vehicles, and this additional funding will make sure it can continue to make them more affordable. Recognizing that most Canadians acquire their vehicles on the secondary market, we are also exploring options to expand this program to include used zero-emission vehicles.

• These investments, along with other enabling measures, such as supporting the deployment of charging stations, will help Canada to achieve its zero-emission vehicle sales targets.

• We are making progress towards these targets, as zero-emission vehicle market share was around 3.5% in the first half of 2020 in Canada, up from 3% in 2019. But we also know that there is more work to be done to continue on this path.

• I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the additional zero-emission vehicles measures referenced in the Government’s Strengthened Climate Plan, such as working with the U.S. Administration to increase consumer availability of zero-emission vehicles and exploring supply-side options to increase uptake.

• My department will support Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Natural Resources Canada to help implement the Net-Zero Accelerator Fund.

• In particular, the Net-Zero Accelerator Fund will support clean technology development in Canada’s aerospace and automobile manufacturing sectors.

• The market is moving towards decarbonizing transportation, particularly through zero-emission vehicles, and our Government is committed to working with industry to ensure that we realize the economic benefits of this global shift here at home.

• Transport Canada is leading a global Safer Skies Initiative to improve the safety of air travel worldwide by addressing gaps in the way the civil aviation sector deals with conflict zones.

• As part of the Safer Skies Initiative, Canada has established its own Conflict Zone Information Office to monitor foreign conflict zones and to rapidly warn air operators of new or emerging risks.

• The Department is also working with the international community to strengthen international rules to address gaps exposed by the downing of Flight PS752.

• The Oceans Protection Plan represents the largest investment ever made to protect Canada’s marine environment and is an important part of Canada’s agenda for safer, cleaner and healthier oceans. Moving forward, the Oceans Protection Plan will ensure strong alignment with a blue economy strategy that reinforces the Government of Canada’s ocean objectives while advancing reconciliation.

• A key objective of the Oceans Protection Plan is to increase the participation of Indigenous groups and coastal communities within Canada’s marine sector, and includes many initiatives and programs that will continue to improve on Canada’s already strong marine safety and spill management systems.

MENTIONED IN OTHER MINISTERS’ LETTERS FROM JANUARY 15, 2021

• Since the onset of the pandemic, my department has been working closely with their counterparts from Industry, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Finance Canada, and Global Affairs Canada to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 on the air transport sector.

• My officials have also engaged directly with air industry stakeholders, and the organizations that represent them, to analyze the current situation in order to develop options to support Canada’s air transport sector, and ensure that Canadians have the services they need at a reasonable cost.

• Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, recognises the importance of accelerating efforts to reducing emissions across the economy, including the transportation sector, to meet our 2030 target and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

• With transportation being Canada’s second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, achieving Canada’s reduction goals will require decarbonisation of all modes of transportation – air, rail, marine and
  on-road.

• My department will work with Environment and Climate Change Canada and other partner departments to advance the transportation actions identified in the plan, which will both contribute to reducing emissions in the near term and help build the foundation needed to achieve net zero emissions in the longer term.

• Furthermore, a safe and efficient transportation system that is also resilient to the impacts of climate chance is critical. Transport Canada will be working with its federal partners, as well as with provinces and territories and other stakeholders, to continue advancing shared climate change adaptation objectives, including the development of a national adaptation strategy. 

• The National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) has been highly successful, with 99% of its initial $1.9 billion in funding from Budget 2017 having been allocated to 87 trade and transportation infrastructure projects across the country and in every mode of transportation, leveraging total investments in excess of $3.9 billion.

• My department has launched a call for proposals to allocate up to $400 million in additional funding from Budget 2019 for projects that improve the flow of goods and services to Northern communities, strengthen safety, and support further social and economic opportunities in the territories and northern regions of Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. This call for proposals closes on March 15, 2021.

• In June 2019, $71.1 million was committed to establish a Joint Project Office (JPO) between VIA Rail and the Canada Infrastructure Bank in order to de-risk the project proposal and undertake a range of important pre-procurement activities, including: legal and regulatory work related to safety and environmental assessments; consulting with stakeholders and Indigenous communities; examining required land and track acquisition; and completing technical, financial, and commercial analyses.

• The JPO has significantly advanced its work so that outcomes of these activities will be integral to informing future Government decisions on the High Frequency Rail project.

• I am working in collaboration with the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, to ensure an integrated, barrier-free federal transportation network for all persons, but especially persons with disabilities.

• The Canadian Transportation Agency is advancing work to ensure the new planning and reporting regulations made under the Accessible Canada Act that will set out requirements for transportation service providers to develop accessibility plans, establish feedback processes, and prepare and publish progress reports with the objective of achieving the highest level of accessibility for persons with disabilities.

• The Canadian Transportation Agency is also advancing initiatives aimed at strengthening accessibility requirements for small and medium transportation service providers to ensure greater clarity and certainty for both industry and persons with disabilities who travel in the transportation network.  

• My department has made considerable progress towards modernizing its legislative and regulatory framework by bringing forward key amendments and novel approaches that address transportation safety and security priorities, support digital service delivery, and breakdown barriers to innovation. For example, regulatory amendments have allowed for the introduction of online registration, examinations and licensing for remotely piloted aircraft systems, or ‘drones’, thus avoiding the administrative burden of paper-based processes.

• Moving forward, the focus will remain on enhancing the safety and security of the Canadian transportation sector while creating an agile legislative and regulatory framework that supports experimentation, digitalization, service delivery and global competitiveness.

• Under the national Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is working collaboratively with Indigenous groups and stakeholders to strengthen Canada’s world-leading marine safety system, providing 24/7 emergency response, and ensuring timely information sharing for safety and security issues with key marine partners. By partnering with Indigenous communities and stakeholders, we continue to improve access to maritime information and data, including vessel traffic, for Indigenous peoples, coastal communities and other partners.

• Our Government will continue to increase on-scene environmental response capacity through marine emergency management planning, coordination and response. A national and regional marine emergency management presence has been established to promote coordination and response activities across all levels of government and with Indigenous communities. We continue to enhance industry response to avoid potential marine incidents and ensure timely and effective response to oil spills.

• My department is committed to making Canada’s major ports among the most efficient and cleanest in the world, and will help the marine sector transition to the use of cleaner fuels. To this end, we will work with other departments, provinces and territories, and key stakeholders from the marine sector to accelerate technology development and pilot deployments, and examine opportunities to help deploy low-carbon and zero-emission equipment at ports across the country. 

• The Ports Modernization Review is well underway. We have conducted detailed research and analysis to improve the efficiency of Canada Port Authorities as key gateways and to support economic growth, and we are incorporating emerging impacts to the Canadian economy and supply chain, such as COVID-19.

• In October 2020, Transport Canada released a What we Heard Report that summarized feedback collected through our engagement with Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and the written submissions. We look forward to announcing next steps this mandate.

• Officials in my department have made connections between Parks Canada and VIA Rail, particularly Parks Canada’s ‘Learn To Camp’ program. While initial ideas are under consideration, this work is on hold due to the pandemic.

• Consideration is being given to the extent this commitment can be linked to domestic tourism as part of Canada’s recovery. Initiatives will be brought forward in due course as the economy opens up.

• As Minister of Transport, I remain committed to supporting Canadians to shift towards cleaner technologies, including by making zero-emission vehicles more affordable.

• Our Government committed to provide an additional $287 million to the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program in the Fall Economic Statement. This program has helped over 70,000 Canadians and Canadian businesses make the switch to these cleaner vehicles, and this additional funding will make sure it can continue to make them more affordable. Recognizing that most Canadians acquire their vehicles on the secondary market, we are also exploring options to expand this program to include used zero-emission vehicles.

• These investments, along with other enabling measures, such as supporting the deployment of charging stations, will help Canada to achieve its zero-emission vehicle sales targets.

• We are making progress towards these targets, as zero-emission vehicle market share was around 3.5% in the first half of 2020 in Canada, up from 3% in 2019. But we also know that there is more work to be done to continue on this path.

• I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the additional   zero-emission vehicles measures referenced in the Government’s Strengthened Climate Plan, such as working with the U.S. Administration to increase consumer availability of zero-emission vehicles and exploring supply-side options to increase uptake.

MENTIONED IN OTHER MINISTERS’ LETTERS FROM DECEMBER 13, 2019

• The Quebec Bridge is a source of pride and historical marvel for the region of Québec City. It is currently owned by the Canadian National Railway Company.

• Transport Canada has a mandate under the Railway Safety Act to certify the safety of railways, through inspections and compliance verification. From previous verification, Transport Canada did not note any problems with the rail portion of the bridge.

• In 2019, the Government of Canada appointed a special negotiator to recommend options to complete the bridge restoration in a timely manner.

• The special negotiator presented a report to the Government, outlining recommendations to undertake the bridge’s rehabilitation and ensure its longevity.

• Our Government will provide updates on the Quebec Bridge as soon as we are in a position to do so.

• The Government of Canada recognizes the strategic and economic importance of the Quebec Bridge and remains determined to find a solution for its rehabilitation. Our priority is to ensure the long-term viability of this important strategic link in the Quebec region.