Increased safety in the nation's transportation system and the state of road funding were among the issues discussed at the annual meeting of the Transportation Association of Canada which wrapped up today in Halifax.
Officials from the Department of Transportation and Public Works, led by Transportation and Public Works Minister Don MacKinnon, participated in discussions with representatives from provincial and territorial governments as well as the federal government and industry groups covering a range of topics facing the transportation sector in Canada.
"Given last week's tragic events in the United States safety issues were on everyone's mind so all of the participants agreed to meet again in January to address certain other topics which allowed for an opportunity to discuss current safety issues with Minister Collenette in greater detail," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Don MacKinnon.
Other highlights of the conference included announcement of increased funding for implementation of the National Safety Code for motor carriers. The National Safety Code is a cooperative effort of federal, provincial and territorial governments to increase safety standards, harmonized data management and enforcement in the motor carrier industry.
The issue of federal investment in the maintenance of the nation's road network was also discussed. The Province of Prince Edward Island again pushed for the federal government to meet its responsibility to ensure the safe, efficient movement of people, goods and services in Canada by developing a National Highways Program to address the chronic under funding of the nation's road network.
"Canada's National Highway System, like our health care system, was built upon the principle of equal funding from the federal and provincial government. Currently, that cost is borne 100% by the provinces. We continued to press the federal government to invest in the economic and community development of our country through the development and implementation of a National Highways Program," said MacKinnon.