Official Opening of the New Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority Administration Building

September 29, 2006

Fort Erie, Ontario
Check Against Delivery

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for joining us here today.

I am pleased to be here, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to mark the opening of the Peace Bridge Administration Building at the new Canadian Plaza here in Fort Erie.

This opening ceremony marks the continued commitment by the Government of Canada and the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority to improve this important border crossing.

Importance of the Peace Bridge

Last year more than 10 million cars and 1.2 million trucks crossed the Peace Bridge, making it the second busiest crossing on the Canada-U.S. border.

The Peace Bridge is a vital link for the trade that crosses the Niagara Frontier. Last year more than $53 billion dollars in two-way trade crossed this border crossing.

Fort Erie also marks one of the busiest points of entry for those seeking refugee status in Canada.

The volume of goods and people crossing at our common border is constantly growing in our increasingly globalized world.

Border Security – The Challenges

The challenge for us is to facilitate this vital movement of people and trade in today's environment, one where trade and commerce is balanced with the need to secure our borders.

Border security is a priority of the current government.

In the last 5 years, the issue of security has also been a priority for the international bridges and tunnel owners and operators, and many have made significant security improvements during this time.

One of the ways the government is pursuing its goal is through the implementation of Bill C-3, International Bridges and Tunnels Act.

This Act would increase the government’s oversight role in the area of bridge and tunnel security.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to tell you that the Government of Canada is committed to continuing to work towards improving the secure flow of people, the secure flow of goods, secure infrastructure, and information-sharing and co-ordination at our border.

Border Services Officers face a growing challenge in intercepting potential threats, including high risk individuals, firearms, explosives and drugs.

An average of 260,000 travelers are processed into Canada every day. Some of these travelers pose risks to the border officers at border crossings.

Canada’s New Government is committed to ensuring that our borders are protected from those who threaten the security of Canada, while ensuring that legitimate commerce or travel is not delayed.

To ensure Canada’s borders are secure, the Government must ensure that those who guard our borders are themselves secure.

Providing CBSA officers with side-arms and training, and ensuring that work-alone situations are eliminated, will help achieve this goal.

This government has also provided unprecedented funding specifically for infrastructure, as announced in the last budget.

Budget 2006 and Border Infrastructure

Specifically, Budget 2006 provided for:

• a new Highways and Border Infrastructure Fund, to which $2.4 billion will be allocated over the next five years;
• an additional $2 billion for renewal of the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund to respond to large-scale priorities;
• $2.2 billion over the next five years to renew the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, so as to respond to the needs of smaller municipalities; and
• $1.3 billion for public transit, in order to ease traffic congestion in urban areas, reduce carbon dioxide and improve the quality of the air and the quality of life in our cities.

In addition, the Budget backs those investments in public transit with $370 million in tax credits over two years for people who buy monthly passes.

No other government has ever done as much to encourage public transit.
We are also maintaining the 100 per cent rebate on the Goods and Services Tax to support our cities and communities.

And we are maintaining the agreements on sharing of the federal excise tax on gasoline that cities and communities can invest in roads and bridges where they enhance sustainability.

In total, the measures announced in the Budget represent an unprecedented federal investment in infrastructure, totaling $16.5 billion over the next four years.

We are very proud of this commitment, which is an indication of the importance the Prime Minister places on Canada’s cities and communities.

This demonstrates clearly that Canada’s New Government recognizes that the economic success of our country rests on the strength of its communities which is, in turn, a function of modern infrastructure.

This funding will contribute to the economic vitality of Canadian communities by helping to ensure that goods can be transferred efficiently to markets, and that traffic congestion is reduced, contributing to an improved environment.
The House of Commons resumed sitting last week and Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada’s New Government will continue to get things done for families and taxpayers.

The Government’s Fall Agenda

The Government’s fall agenda will deliver results for Canadians based on four pillars:

1. Economic Management and Value for Money – with measures to ensure a strong economy for the long haul including value for money expenditure review;

2. Accountability and Democratic Reform – by implementing the Federal Accountability Act and moving forward with Senate reform;

3. Environment and Personal Health – by rolling out a series of practical measures to clean up the environment, including Canada’s first Clean Air Act; and

4. Crime and National Security – by continuing to tackle crime with tougher laws, more police and enhanced border security.


Government Investment in the Peace Bridge

Here at the Peace Bridge, the Government of Canada and the Peace Bridge Authority together are investing 50 million dollars to enhance operations and services for both Canada-bound and U.S.-bound traffic, reduce border congestion and improve infrastructure over the medium term.

The federal funding is being provided under the Border Infrastructure Fund.

To date, the toll collection facility has been relocated from the U.S. Plaza to the Canadian Plaza, three new commercial inspection booths have been constructed on the U.S. Plaza, a truck staging area has been opened, and security upgrades put in place.

These improvements have served to increase capacity on both our border plazas and reduce congestion at the bridge.

Today, we are marking the opening of the first of three new buildings on the Canadian Plaza.

The Peace Bridge Administration Building will house the toll and administration functions of the Bridge Authority.

The new building is strategically located on the Canadian Plaza to allow for expansion of the inspection area - that will allow for a more efficient operation of the plaza.

In the coming months, the new customs and immigration building and new refugee centre will be completed, and work will be undertaken to continue to improve security at the plaza.

I am confident that what we are marking here today is yet another step on the right track towards ensuring that our border remains open, effective, efficient and secure.

Thank you.