Remarkable advances in information, communication, and other technologies and innovations took place over the past 2 decades. The application of these technologies has brought considerable change to nearly every sector of the economy, including transportation. New technologies are being applied to transportation infrastructure, equipment, and supply chain management in an effort to make them smarter and more efficient. For example, technological changes, such as ride sharing and “last-mile” delivery services have altered both how and where transportation occurs and will continue to disrupt transportation in the future.
This trend shows no sign of slowing down, and in fact, is likely to accelerate as the public and private sector adjust to new operational environments. Technological changes and innovation will continue to impact both demand for and supply of transportation equipment and services. Major disruptions are expected from technologies in 3 categories of operational readiness, from those past the operational tipping point (cloud logistics, internet of things, etc.); to technologies on the cusp of widespread operationalization (AI, advanced analytics, blockchain, etc.); and finally with advanced technologies (electric vehicles, automation and robotics, etc.), which are at varying levels of operational readiness across jurisdictions, industries and modes.
Such innovations in the transportation sector have the potential to optimize corridor flows, reduce costs, improve safety and reduce environmental impacts, and alter the origins and destinations of shipments and the nature of transportation services. In the freight sector, technologies can enable supply chain stakeholders to optimize their existing infrastructure and work technology-driven efficiencies into new infrastructure as it is built. Supply chain visibility and transparency also promises to be further enhanced by new technology, fostering greater cooperation across fragmented supply chains. Writ large, technologies carry the potential to drive better decisions, increase productivity, streamline freight and intermodal processes, develop new data-driven business models, and harness economic and trade benefits.
Innovation is often mentioned as a key contributor to productivity gains and therefore to economic growth. According to Statistics Canada’s Survey of Innovation and Business Strategy data, the percentage of innovative businesses in the transportation and warehousing industry increased from 62.5% for the 2007-2009 period to 70.2% for the 2015-2017 period. However, despite the fact that the transportation industry introduced more innovative practices, it still lagged behind the national average of 79.3% in 2015-2017.
As the pace of transportation innovation accelerates, it is critical that the Canadian transportation sector readies itself for the continual arrival of emerging and disruptive transportation technologies, including connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). If integrated properly into existing transportation system, CAVs have the potential to help address many urban transportation challenges in Canada’s largest cities, including congestion, urban movement of freight, affordability, and accessibility. However, the potential risks associated with mass CAV deployment will need to be mitigated through sound planning processes and effective policy tools to prevent unintended consequences such as increased congestion, a modal shift away from mass transit, and increased socio-economic inequity.
To further examine the potential risks and benefits associated with mass connected and automated vehicle use in Canada, Transport Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada created the Advisory Group on the Vehicle of the Future (connected, automated, clean, shared) in 2018. The group included representation from senior members of government, industry, academia and
non-government organizations. The findings of the group are included in a comprehensive report currently under review by Transport Canada and senior officials from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Transport Canada was also a member of the Task Force on Urban Mobility, which was created in 2019 by the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety. The task force provided a regular forum to engage with provincial counterparts on the mobility issues affecting passenger and freight transportation in Canadian cities. The task force’s final report considers a number of policy areas of relevance to urban mobility, for example, complete communities and congestion management, and provides jurisdictional examples of mobility policy implementation. The report also considers how COVID-19 has impacted urban mobility in Canada. The final report was approved by the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety at their February 2021 meeting.
With funding under the Trade and Transportation Corridor Initiative, Transport Canada launched the Program to Advance Connectivity and Automation in the Transportation System in 2017. This program is helping Canadian jurisdictions prepare for the array of technical, regulatory and policy issues emerging as a result of connected and automated vehicles. The Program undertakes and supports research, and technical studies in areas such as the security, integrity, and privacy of connected and automated vehicle communications – security credential management systems, road infrastructure cybersecurity, and talent development for road authorities.
The program is also providing $2.9 million in grant and contribution funding over 4 years, to support 15 projects that assist Canadian jurisdictions prepare for these new technologies. Funded projects include:
- testing vehicle-to-infrastructure communication technologies and applications to reduce fuel consumption at the City of Ottawa, and for emergency vehicle signal pre-emption at the City of Calgary
- updating the Intelligent Transportation System Architecture, which is a common framework for planning, defining, and integrating intelligent transportation systems
- studying the impacts of automated and connected vehicles for pedestrians with sight loss
- supporting testing of connected and automated vehicle technologies, such as low-speed automated shuttle trials in Calgary and Toronto, establishing a connected vehicle test bed in Calgary, and exploring the fuel reduction potential of providing fleet vehicles with traffic signal timing information in Ottawa
- helping Canada take part in developing standards for connected and automated vehicles, and
- supporting capacity-building activities with road authorities
Recognizing the need for early leadership and guidance on connected and automated vehicles in Canada, Transport Canada published Testing Highly Automated Vehicles in Canada: Guidelines for Trial Organizations. This guidance was developed in collaboration with the provinces and territories. It offers practical, Canada-wide guidelines for the safe testing of connected and automated vehicles. Its flexible and responsive policy approach will make connected and automated vehicle testing consistent across jurisdictions, which in turn will support safety, competitiveness and economic growth.
In 2019, Transport Canada launched the Enhanced Road Safety Transfer Payment Program, which funds projects to help create nationally consistent tools that address road safety challenges, and new opportunities to invest in Canadian projects to promote the innovative design, testing, and integration of connected and automated vehicles and other safety enhancing technologies. The results of these projects will support the development of national and global safety standards, regulations, and requirements.
Transport Canada is also working to enable bold and innovative transportation solutions through research and evaluation including the ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) Program which tests and evaluates the safety and environmental performance of innovative vehicle technologies to advance key Government of Canada priorities. Results from RD&D projects support the development of codes and standards, which ultimately lead to the safe and timely introduction of these technologies, for example, cooperative truck platooning system for heavy-duty vehicles, electric and alternative fuel vehicles and connected and automated vehicle.
Notably, as part of the Transportation Sector Regulatory Roadmap, Transport Canada launched a pilot project to test fuel saving truck platooning technology beginning in 2019-2020, including trials on Canadian public highways. Through this initiative, Transport Canada is working with industry, academia, and provincial, territorial and municipal governments to gather evidence informing the potential development of regulations, policies, and programs that provide a modernized approach for safe and effective deployment on Canadian roads and in Canadian climate conditions. A scoping paper on considerations for safely deploying platooning in Canada was published in fall 2020, and a pilot deployment is planned on public road, beginning in summer 2021.
Additionally, Transport Canada’s Rail RD&D program supports the development of technologies that have the potential to increase safety, optimize efficiency and reduce emissions associated with transporting people and freight by rail. It emphasizes technologies that are on the pathway to commercialization and for which key barriers are inhibiting their uptake. These barriers include uncertainty relating to technological readiness, lack of understanding about the capability of technologies, concern over the impact of new technologies on existing equipment and gaps in codes and standards. As such, industry collaboration plays a key role in guiding the research agenda.
Projects of note in 2019 include:
- advancing the technology readiness levels (TRL) of automated and semi-automated inspection systems
- assessment of opportunities, challenges and technological options for hydrogen locomotives (like hydrail)
- development of advanced emission control technologies and lignin derived drop-in fuel blends for locomotives
- feasibility assessment of hyperloop technologies and automated intercity rail technologies;
- research relating to the impacts of climate change on railways built on permafrost
- viability study of wearable technology to increase rail worker safety, and
- use of satellites and drones to monitor landslides and water levels
As aging, deterioration, and climate change threaten the integrity and longevity of transportation infrastructure, Transport Canada is exploring new technologies that can identify and monitor performance issues at early stages. One such technology includes Canada’s Radarsat Constellation Mission Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites that can detect bridge movements developing over time which may be due to excessive loads, soil settlement, truck or ship impacts, and extreme climatic events. This is made possible due to today’s advanced computing algorithms and the frequent availability of high-resolution satellite images.
Currently, data is being gathered for a few pilot bridges in Canada and development is underway to advance and implement a data-driven decision-support tool that can provide bridge authorities with performance indicators on bridge condition and assist them in the challenging decision making process of bridge maintenance and rehabilitation. Most recently due to the innovative nature of this research, our National Research Council of Canada partners have initiated collaborative work with the
UK’s Satellite Applications Catapult Program to co-develop a decision-support tool for asset maintenance decision makers. The pilot study tool, named BRIGITAL, visualizes data on key bridges in Canada (and eventually the UK) to deliver indicators on their overall condition.
Furthermore, Transport Canada continues to help Canadian small and medium size businesses develop and commercialize innovations. In 2018, Transport Canada launched 2 challenges through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Innovative Solutions Canada Program with the intention to find solutions for specific challenges in the transportation industry where solutions do not exist.
As a result of those challenges, 5 recipients were awarded funding to develop proof of concepts for economically viable and environmentally sustainable methods for recycling glass fiber-reinforced plastic used in vessel hulls to avert disposing vessels in landfills and for affordable after-market technology solutions for commercial vehicles to aid in the detection of vulnerable road users (like cyclists, pedestrians) and alert the driver of potential collisions.
In 2020, Transport Canada launched a new round of challenges, including an innovative solution to reduce underwater-radiated noise from marine tugs that escort large commercial vessels through the critical habitat of the Southern Resident killer whale in the Salish Sea.