Guilbeault Clarifies Misinterpretation of ‘No More Roads’ Comment to MPs
Weeks after facing criticism for his statement that Ottawa would no longer invest in new road infrastructure, the environment minister clarified to a government committee that he was misinterpreted and was only referring to a specific project in Quebec.
“I was specifically talking about the third link project connecting Quebec City and its south shore. I did not mean Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, or Vancouver,” Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault explained to the Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Committee on March 21.
Previously, on Feb. 12, Mr. Guilbeault had announced that the federal government would cease investing in new road infrastructure.
“While we will continue to support the maintenance of the existing network for cities, provinces, and territories, there will be no more federal funding for expanding the road network,” he stated during a public transit conference in Montreal.
He argued that investing in new road networks would lead to increased congestion and further road development, encouraging more people to drive personal vehicles. Instead, he advocated for allocating funds to climate-related initiatives.
Shortly after his initial comments, Mr. Guilbeault acknowledged that he should have been clearer. He clarified that he was specifically referring to funding for large projects like the Troisième lien in Quebec, a project promised by Premier François Legault during the 2018 election but not yet started.
On Feb. 21, the transportation committee unanimously passed a Conservative motion for Mr. Guilbeault to appear before them within two weeks to clarify his statements.
Clarifying Comments
In his testimony, Mr. Guilbeault highlighted the significant investments made by the Liberal government since 2015 to maintain and enhance existing roadway infrastructure managed by Parks Canada. He also mentioned Ottawa’s investments to support Canadians looking to diversify their modes of transportation.
Bloc Quebecois MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval brought up several Quebec towns not connected to the province’s road network, expressing concern that residents of those communities would be unhappy with the lack of road investments from Ottawa.
“I should have been more specific in my initial remarks. I have provided numerous examples of federal investments,” Mr. Guilbeault responded.
MP Barsalou-Duval questioned why the third link project was not mentioned initially and why Ottawa allegedly did not have funds for major projects like the Troisième lien.
“My intention was clear when I mentioned the third link,” Mr. Guilbeault clarified.
Conservative MP Dominique Vien criticized the environment minister for his comments, stating that they were detrimental to rural Quebec residents and reflected an urban-centric perspective.
Mr. Guilbeault defended his position, citing the government’s substantial investments in Quebec compared to the previous Conservative administration.
Prior to Mr. Guilbeault’s appearance on March 21, Housing and Infrastructure Minister Sean Fraser assured the committee that the federal government’s stance on building new roads had not changed.
