Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeault said on Monday the federal government would stop investing in new road infrastructure. The comments immediately came under fire from the opposition Conservative Party and some prime ministers, who accused the climate change activist-turned-politician of being behind the times.
Guilbeault later clarified his remarks, telling reporters Wednesday that he meant to say Ottawa would not put money into “massive” road projects.
“Of course we fund roads. We have programs that fund roads,” he said.
Guilbeault said Monday that the federal government will assist the province in paying for upkeep, but the City of Ottawa has determined that the existing road infrastructure is “completely sufficient to meet our needs.”
“There will be no more envelopes from the federal government asking us to expand the road network,” Guilbeault said, according to a quote published in the Montreal Gazette.
“Our economic, social and human development goals are well within reach without further expansion of our road network.”
Guilbeault said the federal government is keen to get people out of their cars and onto public transit, which the government has spent billions of dollars building.
He also said the federal government wants to encourage “active transportation,” meaning people walking and cycling.
No funding for “large-scale projects”
Pressed by reporters on Wednesday to defend his comments, Guilbeault said he should have been “more specific” in saying the federal government would not fund “large-scale projects.”
He cited a third link, long proposed by Quebec City, as one project that won’t receive funding from Ottawa.
“What we said, maybe we should have been more specific, is that the CAQ has been trying to do this for a long time with large-scale projects like the 3eme lien,” he said of Quebec’s provincial government. We just don’t have the funds to do so.” government.
“There is no change to federal policy,” a senior administration official told CBC News.
Tory MP Mark Strahl, the party’s transport critic, said Mr Guilbeault’s talk of no more new roads was “outrageous” and an insult to people who rely on their cars to get to work. Stated.
“This is essential to many Canadians. Simply saying we don’t allow federal funding to go towards this is extreme, divisive and inconsistent with what this government is doing.” Strahl said.
“But that’s what you should expect from a man who climbed the CN Tower, climbed onto the roof of the prime minister’s house, and was taken away in handcuffs. That’s the kind of extremism he is,” Strahl said, adding that Guilbeault’s past He spoke while referring to the activities of Arrested for stunt.
Alberta Premier Daniel Smith, a frequent critic of Mr. Guilbeault, slammed the comments, and Montreal ministers said many Canadians live in suburban, rural and remote areas with poor transportation access. I don’t understand, he said in a social media post. developed.
“Most of us can’t just walk out our front door in the snow and rain and walk 10 kilometers to work every day,” Smith said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is another premier who has had selective words about Guilbeault in the past, and he is referred to as Guilbeault.”genuine works” and “extremistsFord said Wednesday it was “appalled” by Guilbeault’s latest policy announcement.
“Federal Ministers have said they will not invest in new roads or highways,” Ford said in a social media post.
“He doesn’t care that you’re stuck in traffic. Neither do I. We build roads and highways with or without federal aid. ”
The federal government is developing a final plan to phase out new gasoline-powered passenger cars by 2035, with incremental targets for manufacturers to meet.
Guilbeault’s comments cast doubt on the future of Ford’s promised Highway 413 project. The project is a new expressway in the northwestern part of the Toronto metropolitan area that will connect two of the region’s major arteries and ease travel between fast-growing areas such as Vaughan and Brampton.
Ontario has argued that the project should be expedited because the growing population of the Toronto suburbs will require infrastructure improvements to ease congestion.
Environmentalists and some local groups have fiercely opposed the 60-kilometre highway, which they say would cut through farmland and waterways and pave over parts of the state’s protected green belt.
long review
In this regard, the federal government decided in 2021 that the project will be subject to Ottawa’s impact assessment. This means subjecting them to more rigorous and lengthy environmental reviews.
The Canadian Impact Assessment Agency, which conducts these reviews, reports to Guilbeault.
Late last year, Ford said if Brampton’s Liberal MPs don’t support the project, they risk losing their jobs in the next election because local voters want such a highway built.
“Look at what happened here in Brampton when Highway 413 worked out well for Liberal and National Party candidates. They all won in landslides because they didn’t agree with Highway 413.” He was referring to the party’s victory in the 2017 state election.
