Canada Transportation Act Review

This report is the result of a 12-month effort. It provides recommendations which are appropriate to restore the health and ensure the competitiveness of the nation's transportation system in its service to individual Canadians and Canadian businesses. It discusses the impact of reform; impacts on safety, environment, and labour-management relations; the carriers (highway, air, railway, and marine); the challenge of keeping competition alive; transportation policy and the role of government; and the legislation and the agency.

Following a year-long statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act, a Panel released its report in July 2001. The Panel made numerous recommendations on the key area of their review - the deregulation of rail operations, which hinges on competitive rail access. Other subjects included: the need for competition in the air transport field; newly commercialized infrastructure providers; and paying for roads through a road agency. The recommendations on the contentious issue of rail access are scrupulously balanced, but as a result may not fully resolve the issue.