Within the new Government of Canada, Minister Lawrence Cannon leads the Transport, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio. The Minister’s portfolio includes Transport Canada, Infrastructure Canada, the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada and 16 Crown corporations.

The portfolio is a point of convergence for some of the most important issues facing Canada today: the productivity of our economy; transportation safety and security; environmental sustainability; and the quality of life in our cities and communities, as supported by public infrastructure. The portfolio also brings together a range of tools, including programs, legislation, policy frameworks and stakeholder networks.

Bringing each of these issues and tools under a single minister permits greater coordination for the effective management of unprecedented federal investments in transportation and other infrastructure, as announced in Budget 2006. It also positions the Government of Canada to work more closely and efficiently – in partnership with the provinces, territories, municipalities and other groups – to support the development of our communities, the planning of our transportation systems, and the renewal of our infrastructure, all while ensuring maximum benefits for Canadians and their communities.

This policy integration makes sense. For example, when funding the construction of highways, thought must be given to how better roads will affect the communities through which they run. When working on urban infrastructure projects, it is important to consider sustainability in every sense of the term: economic, environmental, social and cultural. As well, all of these decisions must include consideration of safety and security issues – key priorities for the people of Canada.