Transportation Policy

Interesting to read about a Toronto view on the importance of transportation to the province www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1317435--liberal-leadership-next-premier-can-t-detour-around-gridlock.  Martin Regg Cohn is coming at the issue from a slightly different angle, (OK...the complete opposite) but it speaks to the central issue: Ontario needs a comprehensive multi-modal transportation policy.  

The divestiture of Ontario Northland is the result of that failure in policy development and its impact on Northeastern Ontario is as devastating as gridlock is, on Toronto.  The next Liberal leader has the unenviable job of trying to figure out how to counter both of those opposing challenges.  

Fortunately, an answer has presented itself, borne out of desperate circumstances, so you know it has a real foundation.  The answer is the "New Deal" and the port authority it proposes.  

Liberal leadership hopeful Sandra Pupatello wants to get Ottawa to hand over more money to solve the problem.  While that does seem a little far fetched, Prime Minister Harper has given Nipissing MP Jay Aspin the authority to support the "New Deal" which is a positive signal.  It is now up to the province to recognize that signal and move forward on a formal way to integrate federal and provincial participation in transportation policy.

Ontario Northland has always felt the contradiction inherent in a provincial railway operating in an area that has federal jurisdiction.  By virtue of the fact that the ONR extends into Quebec, it is an inter-provincial railway and subject to the rules and regulations applicable to Canada's rail system.  On the other hand it is a provincial crown corporation and that led to the confusion that was demonstrated by the Northlander subsidy.

In that Ontario Northland provided service to the otherwise totally isolated community of Moosonee and all the communities up the Ontario side of James Bay, it was entitled to funding under the Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Services Class Contribution Program operated by the federal government.  But,  because ONTC was a crown corporation, the federal government ruled it was ineligible for subsidy.

The solution was to fund the line between Toronto and North Bay only, where the Northlander ran on CN tracks and by virtue of that segment the federal government contributed 2.5M per year unadjusted for inflation.  However, the optics of providing funds under a remote access program for a rail line that ran beside a four-lane highway put the subsidy under constant stress and it was being reviewed again, until the province wiped the issue off the map with the elimination of the Northlander.

With the Port authority proposal, the funding can be straightened out and put clearly toward a mandate that could also include private money.  All together they can fund an operation that has development squarely in its sights, with the bonus of First Nation approval and participation already included.  If the new leader does not readily accept this lifeline with its other end firmly wedged in the riches of the Ring of Fire we will never get another chance to develop a transportation policy which brings all parties to the table and expands the service area into the entire province.

I hope the new Premier gets better advice than the last one.