I am pleased to present Transport Canada's Departmental Performance Report for 2015-16. The report outlines the Department's achievements in ensuring that Canada's transportation system is safe and secure, green and innovative, and facilitates trade and the movement of people and goods across the country.
In 2015-16, the Department advanced a number of key initiatives that were outlined in my mandate letter from the Prime Minister. This included:
- Strengthening rail safety regulations to ensure additional physical defences for train securements and establishing a pathway for future enhancements to the rail regulatory framework;
- Reviewing and implementing operational tools, procedures and guidelines to prepare for upcoming improvements to the Navigation Protection Act; and
- Launching the process of formalizing a moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic on British Columbia's North Coast through discussions with officials and preliminary consultations with affected groups.
In early spring 2016, I was delighted to launch a public engagement process to hear what Canadians, stakeholders, Indigenous groups, provinces and territories had to say about Canada's long-term agenda for transportation. Discussions centred on the five themes of:
- Safer transportation;
- Trade corridors to global markets;
- Green and innovative transportation;
- The traveller; and
- Waterways, coasts and the North.
This consultation process, combined with findings from the Canada Transportation Act Review, will help shape our vision for the future of our transportation system.
Although many advancements in my mandate have occurred since the end of the fiscal year that fall beyond the scope of this Report, it is clear that our Government is already taking action to bring the real change that we promised Canadians.
In the coming year, we will focus on our long-term goals for Canada's transportation sector. We will continue to strengthen safeguards for improved rail safety and the safe transportation of dangerous goods, take action to enhance marine safety to protect Canada's coastal waters, and support major infrastructure investments in our trade and transportation corridors.
As Transport Canada embarks on its 80th year as a Department, we will continue to engage with Canadians on the future of transportation to create a system that will be safer, more secure, efficient and greener for Canadians.
The Honourable Marc Garneau, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Transport