Council of Ministers responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety
NEWS RELEASE – Ministers responsible for transportation and highway safety announce a new strategy to improve road safety and collaborate to strengthen transportation in Canada
January 28, 2016 – OTTAWA, Ontario – Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety met today to advance key strategies for strengthening transportation in Canada, including unveiling a new plan to further improve road safety.
To make Canadian roads safer, the Ministers launched Canada's Road Safety Strategy 2025 – Towards Zero: The Safest Roads in the World (roadsafetystrategy.ca). This strategy, developed by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, builds on the success of earlier campaigns to pursue a long-term vision towards zero fatalities and serious injuries on our roads. It outlines a ten-year timeline to address important road safety issues in Canada, including enhancing enforcement, improving road infrastructure, supporting research, leveraging vehicle safety technologies and raising public awareness of factors contributing to collisions.
"Canada's roads are the safest they've been in 60 years," said Steven Del Duca, Ontario Minister of Transportation and Co-Chair of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety. "However, we must remain vigilant and that's why all governments have agreed today to pursue a common vision of making our roads the safest in the world."
In addition, Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau, Co-Chair of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety, shared his transportation priorities, including support for trade infrastructure and rail safety. He also outlined next steps as the Government of Canada considers the findings coming out of the Canada Transportation Act Review. He emphasized that a strong partnership between the federal, provincial and territorial governments is key to addressing collective challenges and embracing opportunities.
"Today, with a renewed spirit of collaboration, federal, provincial and territorial transportation and highway safety ministers had a productive meeting, working together to support sustainable growth and improve safety," said Minister Garneau. "We discussed the critical importance transportation infrastructure plays in stimulating the economy and the importance of working together to make improvements to the transportation system. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make progress on these important issues."
Finally, recognizing the critical role of transportation in supporting economic growth and addressing climate change, Ministers also discussed their priorities for investments and innovation in transportation infrastructure and shared perspectives on supporting greenhouse gas emission reductions, including electrification of transport, and adaptation to climate change.
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Delphine Denis Patrick Searle |
Media Relations
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