The Empire Club of Canada Presents
Better, Faster, Safer: Ontario’s Transportation Future with Hon Prabmeet Sarkaria
Chairperson: Kelly Jackson, President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada
Moderator
Rod Phillips, Vice-Chair, Canaccord Genuity Corp, Former Minister of Finance, Government of Ontario
Distinguished Guest Speakers
Joseph Mancinelli, President, LiUNA
The Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, Government of Ontario
Andrew Weltz, Board Chair, Ontario Road Builders Association
Head Table Guests
Honourable Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Transportation, Government of Ontario
David Albo, Managing Partner, CIEL Capital
Simmer Anand, Senior Manager, Indigenous Relations, Hydro One Networks Director, Empire Club of Canada
Sabrina Fiorellino, CEO, Fero International Inc
Kelly Jackson, Vice-President, External Affairs and Professional Learning, Humber College Past President, Empire Club of Canada
Marsha Seca, President, Broad View Advisory Inc. 3rd Vice-Chair, Empire Club of Canada
Harriet Thornhill, MBA, ICD.D Chancellor, Tyndale University
Introduction
It is a great honour for me to be here at the Empire Club of Canada today, which is arguably the most famous, and historically relevant speaker’s podium to have ever existed in Canada. It has offered its podium to such international luminaries as Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Audrey Hepburn, the Dalai Lama, Indira Gandhi, and closer to home, from Pierre Trudeau to Justin Trudeau; literally generations of our great nation’s leaders, alongside with those of the world’s top international diplomats, heads of state, and business, and thought leaders.
It is a real honour, and distinct privilege to be invited to speak to the Empire Club of Canada, which has been welcoming international diplomats, leaders in business, and in science, and in politics. When they stand at that podium, they speak not only to the entire country, but they can speak to the entire world.
Welcome Address by Kelly Jackson, Past President, Board of Directors, Empire Club of Canada
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Empire Club of Canada, Canada’s go-to forum for conversations that matter, for the past 120 years. My name is Kelly Jackson, and I am past president of the Board of Directors of the Empire Club of Canada, and I am your host for today. I have the honour of filling in for a Sal Rabbani, who is the chair of the club.
To formally begin this afternoon, I want to acknowledge that we are gathering today on the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the homelands of the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples. In acknowledging Traditional Territories, I always try to do so from a place of understanding the privilege my ancestors, and I have had, since they first arrived in this country in the 1830’s. As farmers in Southwestern Ontario, I often imagine that they felt a very deep connection to the land, and yet likely did not recognize how that connection was built on the displacement of others. So, delivering a land acknowledgement, for me, it’s always an important opportunity to reflect on our human connection, and responsibility to care for the land, and to recognize that to do so, we must always respect each other, and acknowledge our histories. And at the club, we encourage everyone to learn more, always, about the Traditional Territory on which you work, and live
So, today we have the honour of welcoming the Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation in the Government of Ontario. Welcome, Minister. [Applause]—well, that was a great welcome.
The Empire Club of Canada is a nonprofit organization, and we would like to recognize our sponsors, who generously support the club, and make these events possible, and importantly, they make them complementary for our online viewers to attend. Thank you to our Lead Event Sponsors, AtkinsRéalis, LiUNA, and the Ontario Road Builders Association. Thank you to our Supporting Sponsors, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, CAA, Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario, and Woodbine Entertainment. And thank you to our Season Sponsors, Amazon Web Services, Bruce Power, and Hydro One.
Transportation is the backbone of our economy. It helps move people and goods, it supports our communities, our jobs, and businesses, it has a direct impact on our well-being, and quality of life. Sixteen million people depend on Ontario’s public transit, and its roads, and highways every day. Billions of dollars are moved every day on our transportation networks. The efficiency and safety of these movements have a direct impact on the province’s competitiveness, productivity, and attractiveness, as an investment destination. And at the same time, hundreds of thousands of people, from all across Canada and the world, come to visit our beautiful province every year, and they use those roads, highways, and public transit, to move around, and discover all that Ontario has to offer. So, I think it’s fair to say that Minister Sarkaria has a big job. He has been tasked with delivering the government’s plan to invest almost 100 billion dollars over the next decade, in new roads, highways, public transit, and other critical infrastructure. From projects like the Ontario Line and Highway 413, to first-in-Canada legislation on driving licences and vehicle registrations that has been put forward recently, today we get to hear about Mr. Sarkaria’s vision for a better, faster, safer, transportation future in Ontario.
And I’ve got to say that, close to home from a Humber College perspective, I’m particularly excited about the Finch West Light Rail Transit, which I believe will be opening at the end of 2024—I will be listening to see if this makes the speech, or if it maybe comes up in the Q&A. There is incredible effervescence in our province, when it comes to transportation. And today, we’re going to hear about the progress that’s been done, and what we should expect for the future. We are facing explosive population growth, and a need for more modern, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure. It’s there, we know it’s there, and we can’t wait to hear more about it.
So, just before we get started with the rest of the program, I do want to take a minute and recognize the Empire Club’s Board of Directors, our staff, and all the members of our incredible community. Thank you for your contributions, and for your commitment to advancing public dialogue. And a big thank you to our younger colleagues, who are here in the room, and tuning in online. We have students with us, and young leaders today, and I know how committed Sal is, as chair, to increasing the club’s reach, to better include the next generation of leaders, and change-makers, and I just wanted to recognize them, and thank them for being here.
We are going to be accepting questions from the audience for the speaker by scanning the QR code, if you’re in the room, in your program booklet. And if you are watching online today, you will find a Q&A where you can enter your question, right underneath the video player. If you are joining us online today and you require any technical assistance, please start a conversation with our team. You will see there is a chat button on the right-hand side of your screen. Please engage, ask questions, and share your point of view.
I’d now like to invite everybody to turn their attention to the screens to view a video from our lead sponsor, AtkinsRéalis.
[VIDEO:]
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[END OF VIDEO]
Kelly Jackson
It is now my pleasure to invite Joseph Mancinelli, President of LiUNA, to introduce our guest speaker. Joseph, welcome.
Opening Remarks by Joseph Mancinelli, President, LiUNA
Good afternoon, ladies, and gentlemen; pleasure to be here with you, and an honour, to introduce our guest speaker here today. For too long, our province has experienced budget cuts that have affected the infrastructure of our province. In fact, time and time again, we are forced to drive on roads with potholes; in fact, in my hometown of Hamilton, they’re putting speed bumps in the city. And I told them, “Why waste your time? With the potholes that we have, nobody can drive fast anyways.” And so, our past governments, unfortunately, abandoned us, when it comes to investing in infrastructure, investing in our roads, and investing in expanding our transportation system. My 140,000 members in Ontario are the very workers that you swear at on the roads, that you bump into, and they are the workers who are anxious, and satisfied, to finally hear that there is a government here in Ontario that actually cares about the future of our road system, of our transportation systems, right across this wonderful province.
You know, there is so much on the books that’s coming for the next few decades, that is going to keep an entire generation of workers working, and building roads, building subways, building LRTs, building many parts of our transportation system, right across the country. These are high-paying jobs. These are jobs, then, that pay well, and they take that pay into different communities right across Ontario, and it impacts the economics of many cities right across the province. Many of our contractors in the road-building industry, for example—some that are here today—the impact that they have on the economy, as well, by building these roads, is very impactful, as well. And so, we’ve seen so many examples of a government that cares about moving folks around the province. We’ve seen the Ontario Line, of course, that’s being built, the Eglinton West Bypass, the Scarborough Line, the Bradford Bypass, and, of course, the 413—the button that I wear here today—that is finally underway. And of course, let me not forget the Hamilton LRT, Minister, and we need to get that going in my hometown, as well.
I have had the pleasure of working with Minister Sarkaria, when he was the Minister of Small Business and Cutting Red Tape, and he has done a great job in every ministry that he’s worked in; Treasury Board Head, as well—we had an opportunity to meet on occasions—done an exceptional job there. We are looking forward to Minister Sarkaria moving the transportation portfolio forward, which is a gigantic portfolio. Not only with all of the roads we have to repair and build, and new roads that we have to build, but with all of the other transportation sectors right across the province. So, ladies, and gentlemen, we are so pleased to have our Minister with us. Please join me in welcoming Minister Sarkaria.
The Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, Ontario
Thank you very much. Sorry, Joe, I’ve just got to raise this up a little bit, here. Thank you, Joe, for that very kind introduction, and to LiUNA, as well, for all the incredible work that you do to support the people, workers, and construction workers across this province. You’ve done an incredible job, and it’s been an absolute pleasure and honour to work with you and your team. So, thank you. It’s also great to be here—[Applause] thank you—it’s also great to be here with all of you, and see so many people, including key transportation leaders, community leaders here today. But I’m also glad to see that everyone was actually able to make it here, despite that gridlock on the Gardiner. But don’t worry, we have a solution: we’re going to build some bike lanes. What else? But it kind of sucks sometimes, you know. I’m the one guy in the city that really isn’t allowed to complain about the traffic. But that’s okay.
I’d also like to recognize the critical work that is being done in collaboration with industry leaders like AtkinsRéalis, and Indigenous leaders that are here today, we’re very thankful to have all of you here today, as well, Chief [indiscernible], Chief [indiscernible], Chief Mike, and Anthony Laforge, for being here today. The collaboration partnerships are essential for all of us to deliver on our mandate to build, and work together to build this province of Ontario. It might be remiss if I didn’t get a chance to give a shout-out to the amazing Associate Minister of Transportation, we call him Vijay “OneFare” Thanigasalam, who’s delivering for the people of this province. My Parliamentary Assistant, Ric Bresee, and together, we are delivering on one of the most robust transportation plans in Ontario’s history. I’m also glad to be joined here today by Mayor Burton, I see that he is here today, as well. I also recognize my Deputy Minister, and a former colleague of mine, Minister Monte McNaughton, who is also in attendance today. So, thank you all for being here. And I’m truly grateful you’re all here, for the Empire Club, and the staff, and the sponsors, and also my good friend, Rod Phillips, who will be moderating, as well. You know, I have a great appreciation for the Empire Club. You know, one of the go-to forums, of course, for conversation that really matter in our province, and our country; we engage in meaningful dialogue, the thought leadership. So, thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to be here, use your stage, and speak to all of you today. A big round of applause for all of you, and all that you do.
But it should not surprise anybody here today that I, I didn’t come here to complain about the traffic; I came here to talk about how we are choosing to fix it. I used the word “choosing” deliberately, because the state of the roads, highways, and transit, just like the state of housing, and so much more, is really a reflection of the choices that our government, and previous governments, have all made. So today, I want to take you on a little bit of a tour of the choices that Premier Ford is making, I am making, and the government is making, as we tackle the big economic, and social challenges of this time. I want to talk about the choices we are making to crack down on dangerous drivers and auto thieves. I want to talk about the choices we are making to get cars moving, and people home and to work, each and every single day. I want to talk about the choices we are making to truly transform Ontario’s transit network across the GTA. And I want to talk about the choices we are making to make Ontario the leader, jurisdictional leader, in EVs.
So, let’s start with road safety. We’ve just introduced a bill recently, called the Safer Roads, and Communities Act, which will introduce some long-overdue measures to make our roads safer. Here’s where I stand on impaired driving: if you drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol and take a life, you should never be allowed to drive again. That’s what this bill will do. There’s no context, nuance, or excuse that can justify taking a life while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. My position is simple. Listen to our friends at MADD, just don’t drink and drive, don’t do drugs and drive, make your own smart choice, it will save lives. And I want to thank the CEO of MADD, who is here today, Steve Sullivan. Your advocacy has been crucial to implementing these smart, and strong measures.
Likewise, on auto theft—maybe a quick show of hands, here, how many people know someone who has had their own car stolen? Pretty much everybody in this room. Exactly. And this is something that is so rampant in my own community of Brampton, and across Peel Region, across Toronto, the GTA—it’s everywhere. It’s a cowardly act, often violent, that can traumatize families and the communities that experience it, and we won’t hesitate to use every tool in our toolbox to keep them off our streets. And that’s why, if passed, our bill will ensure the suspension of driver’s licences of anyone convicted of auto theft in Ontario. And look, I’ve heard from many people that complain that this measure is just not going to do enough to deter the criminals behind auto theft. And you know what? They’re right. But I’m here to say that we are pulling every lever I can to get tough on auto theft. But here are the facts: the provincial government can only take away your licence. We only have so many options. This is a criminal matter, and criminal matters are federal responsibilities. And I think to date, the Trudeau government’s response to the car theft crisis has been pathetic. The families living in fear of car thieves don’t need another auto theft panel, summit, or working group. We need real action, with criminal sanctions that will put car thieves, and leaders of these criminal gangs behind bars, and keep them there. Because even if the primary responsibility is federal, our government is choosing to use every tool in our toolbox to keep everyone in Ontario safe.
We are also taking a similar approach to the challenges of our growing population. We’re pulling out all the stops. Now, consider this: by 2051, the Greater Golden Horseshoe will have a population of almost 15,000,000 people. Gridlock already costs our economy 11 billion dollars a year, and that number is only growing. And our province welcomes more than 500,000 newcomers each year. These are the numbers. These are the facts. We know these challenges will not magically go away on their own. And once again, we must make a clear choice. The first choice, well, is to do nothing—to sit back, cross our fingers that the problem will solve itself, to say no to important new projects, and to work with anti-development activists to block anything from being built. And I know it’s shocking, but this is probably a choice that many people would prefer—or some people would prefer. There are probably three other parties in the Ontario legislature today who think that they can respond to our growing population challenges with a combination of saying no, and doing nothing. And here’s the thing: oddly enough, there’s a lot of ways to do nothing, and that’s probably because doing nothing is the easiest thing to do. But I sit here, and look at the data, that shows that highways in the GTA will be over capacity by 2031, and living that painful experience that many of you share of being stranded in gridlock, as we try to move between home and work. And I can tell you that doing nothing is not an option. Not for Premier Ford, and not for our government.
Now, there’s one other choice we could make—and that seems to be the one preferred by the Prime Minister—and that choice would be taking cars off the road, by making driving unaffordable altogether. This, of course, is the entire ploy of the Carbon Tax. It is also, by the way, the kind of carbon tax that Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie first crusaded back in 2008, before Justin Trudeau even knew what a carbon tax was. There is no magic or mystery to how that tax works.
On the other hand, our government is focused on making life more affordable, and we will not stand for unnecessary taxes that make basic needs, like driving, or heating your home, even harder, in today’s economy. The Federal Carbon Tax is a terrible policy, attempting to solve one problem by creating an even bigger one. Our position is crystal clear: a carbon tax will never be acceptable to our government. But that means, if doing nothing and making it unaffordable to drive are not options, what’s left? Well, it’s quite simple: we are choosing to build. Building is Premier Ford’s choice, my choice, and our entire government’s choice. Building the infrastructure that transforms homes into communities, energy, wastewater, education and health infrastructure, and yes, the roads, bridges, transit, and highways, that the people of Ontario need. Our government is in the business of building all of these things. because Canada’s housing crisis will not be solved by home builders alone.
So, when it comes to our government’s plan to build, we are also talking about a plan to move. Now, let’s talk about that plan to move. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, over the next 10 years, we are investing nearly 100 billion dollars to build the roads, bridges, highways, public transit, that will fuel our economy for generations to come. It starts with Highway 413, a critical project that will connect the regions of York, Peel, Halton, running from the 401 and the 407, all the way to the east, and the Highway 400. It will save drivers 30 minutes per trip during rush hour. That’s five hours every single week that you could spend at home. That I will be spending at home with my wife, and two daughters. And, hopefully someday, maybe getting to watch a Raptors playoff game again. While I can’t guarantee, obviously, that the Raptors will turn it around, I can guarantee that the 413 will be built, and in fact, field work is already underway. We have a responsibility to ensure Ontario’s drivers have more time to spend on the moments that really matter in life, not stuck in gridlock. That’s why, just last month, our government announced that we will have shovels in the ground on the 413 by 2025. The 413 represents a massive win for the province. It will create almost 3,000 new jobs, and contribute over 400 million dollars to Ontario’s real GDP each year. We’re creating jobs, making real progress, and working hard to fight gridlock, and get drivers across York, Halton, Peel, and save hours of their time every week.
Now, who could be against this? Well, I’m pretty sure I can think of a couple of people. The Ontario Liberals have openly campaigned against Highway 413, and their federal friends in the Trudeau government, with the Federal Environment Minister, Guilbeault, saying their government is going to stop funding roads altogether. What a toxic, ideological position to take. If Stephen Guilbeault or Bonnie Crombie took the time to step out of their bubble, talk to that mom stuck in gridlock, or to the truckers who drive on our roads, each and every single day, they would tell you, we need to build Highway 413. It’s just another example of the choices that different leaders, and different governments can make. The Liberals’ choice is to hurt people with higher taxes, and hope it takes cars off the road. We, instead, choose to help people, by building new roads, and highways.
Highway 413 is just one of the projects we’re planning to build. We’re also building the Bradford Bypass, a four-lane highway that will save drivers in York Region, Simcoe County up to 35 minutes per trip. The 16-kilometre highway will connect Highway 404 in the east to Highway 400 in the west. And just like the 413, the construction of the Bradford Bypass will generate significant economic benefits, creating approximately 2,600 jobs, and contributing over 270 million dollars to Ontario’s real GDP each year. And once this highway is complete, it will deliver the much-needed relief to one of the most congested highway corridors in North America. We’re also expanding Highway 3 in Windsor, building new interchanges across this province, including Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road in Ottawa, widening Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph, and investing in dozens of other projects across the province.
But that’s not all we’re doing to transform Ontario’s transportation network. We are taking a balanced approach, building the roads and highways, and investing in critical transit infrastructure, to give people more options to get where they need to go, when they need to be there. With over 70 billion dollars in public transit projects over the next decade, we are building the largest transit expansion in North America. This will include historic investments to deliver priority subway projects, like the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Yonge-North subway extension, that once complete, will double our transit network. It will also include expanded GO Train transit service, as we continue our mission to deliver two-way, all-day service, on the busiest GO rail routes. Just last month, we announced the largest GO Train expansion in more than a decade, that will add more than 300 weekly trips on our province’s busiest routes. If we look right here in the City of Toronto, shovels are already in the ground to build the Ontario Line. This will be a complete game-changer for the people of this province and this city, who are frustrated with the overcrowding, and limited options. Consider this: the Ontario Line will accommodate 40 trains per hour, and almost 40,000 riders per day, offering multiple connections to existing subway stations, streetcars, and bus routes. Wait times for the next train will be as short as 90 seconds. This new line will reduce crowding at the TTC’s busiest stations by as much as 15 percent, and put thousands of Toronto residents within walking distance of public transit.
But our transit solutions do not stop at the borders of Toronto. The Yonge-North subway extension will revolutionize public transit in the GTA, by extending the TTC’s Line 1 subway all the way into Richmond Hill. The extension will put 26,000 people within walking distance of public transit, and accommodate more than 94,000 daily trips. Commuters will save as much as 40 minutes per day; that’s hours more each week to spend with friends, and family, and reduce gridlock, by taking cars off the road. And we aren’t stopping there. The Scarborough Subway Extension will add three stops, and almost 8 kilometres of new track, to the TTC’s Line 2 subway, creating high-speed service for commuters east of the downtown core. Riders will benefit from connections to GO Transit and Durham Region Transit, making travel across the GTA more seamless than ever before. And we’re also investing in light rail transit projects, that will play a key part in our plan to expand transportation networks across the GTA. That is why we recently issued a request for proposals to design and build seven stations that will make up the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which will extend the Crosstown nine kilometres, well into Mississauga, and put 37,000 additional commuters within walking distance of public transit. We’ve also declared the Hazel McCallion Line extensions in downtown Brampton, and downtown Mississauga, as priority projects, so we can accelerate construction, and get shovels in the ground faster. We’re going to do all of this, while making transit even more affordable, and easier than ever before, including by launching credit card and debit payments on GO Transit, the UP Express, and the TTC, and by introducing Presto on Google Wallet. And it doesn’t end there. Thanks to Minister Thanigasalam, all Apple users will be happy to know that we are introducing even more ways to pay, including your Apple Wallet. Transit has never been more convenient. And with these critical investments, we will double our current transit network, to provide commuters with even more choices for their travel, including what they use to get there.
We all know that electric vehicles are expected to play a massive role in our clean energy and transportation future, which is why our government continues to choose to invest in the jobs of the future. Our province has established itself as a world leader in the EV space, securing more than 40 billion dollars in investments to build electric vehicles, and EV batteries. Look no further than Honda’s recent 15-billion-dollar investment, which will create more than 1,000 jobs, to build Canada’s first comprehensive electric vehicle supply chain, right here in Ontario. We know that Ontarians live all over, whether it be in rural or urban communities in the north, south, east, or west, and we need charging infrastructure to serve all of those communities. These are the investments we need to build our province for the future, and our government has always been the first to make it our priority.
Now, if you remember the one thing that I said today, it’s that we cannot overlook the importance of making choices. We are choosing to take a stand on auto theft and impaired driving, we are choosing to stare down our opponents, who want to build nothing at all, and instead, we’re standing tall, to say that we will build the roads, and highways, and transit infrastructure that Ontario desperately needs, and we are choosing to make smart investments, to ensure Ontario remains a global leader in the EV industry.
None of these policies, none of these investments, and none of this progress is, or was automatic. Different governments make different choices—in fact, the choices of the previous government are what got Ontario into so much trouble in the first place. I’m completely okay with facing criticism, or questions about the choices that our government is making, but what I’m not okay with is doing nothing. The world is not waiting for Ontario. The choices we make today matter. Our government will always choose to build, we will always choose to act, and we will always choose to get it done. Thank you very much.
Kelly Jackson
See, I told you he had a big job. Thank you so much, Minister Sarkaria. I’d now like to invite Rod Phillips, Vice Chair at Canaccord Genuity Corp, and former Ontario Minister of Finance, to facilitate a discussion with the Minister.
Rod Phillips, Vice Chair, Canaccord Genuity Corp & Former Minister of Finance for Ontario
Shortcut, there. Well done, Minister.
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
Thank you.
Rod Phillips
Pleasure to be here. Always a pleasure to work with, and get a chance to be on the Empire Club stage—a lot more fun to be the moderator than the speaker. But I think you can all sort of see how my former colleague, here, has emerged as one of the rising stars in Canadian politics. In that spirit, Minister, I hope you don’t mind if I ask a couple of questions…
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
Absolutely.
Rod Phillips
…and I hope you don’t mind if a couple of them are a bit challenging. And of course, you are submitting questions as well, so please put those forward, and they will, I am told, magically appear on this iPad. But Minister, to get started, you mentioned the Eglinton Crosstown. I couldn’t help—I was chatting to the students from Humber a bit earlier, and I was, you know, they are bright young people, no doubt going to be in the region for a long time—I couldn’t help but wonder if they’re going to get to see the opening. So, can you give us a little bit of a sense about, about that project? Maybe a bit for what we’ve learned—but about, as well, about where we think that going.
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
Yeah, I think that’s a great question. It’s probably one of the most frustrating projects, not only for myself as the Minister of Transportation, but for many who have faced this file. But also, for the public, most importantly. I think every single one of us has been impacted by the gridlock, or that traffic, and the time it takes to, to move in Toronto, that has been caused by this construction. But what I can say to you today is that construction is complete on the Crosstown. It is simply, right now, a matter of testing and commissioning. And this is something that is really important—look, I’m not going to make excuses for what has happened to date. But I can tell you, one of the biggest things a government can do is look at what was done in the past, and ensure that we don’t repeat those same mistakes again. And so, I think we’ve learned very well from the challenges that the, that that project caused us in delivering transit, building transit—and everything that you have seen launched by the Premier, under our mandate, ambitious mandate to build infrastructure, especially public transit, reflects these learnings of that. So we’ve got shovels in the ground in almost every single one of the projects that we have announced, at a record speed. We’ve changed the way we, as a government, procure a lot of these projects, and build in more flexibility, bringing individuals into—and those who can build these projects, into the picture a lot earlier, a more collaborative approach, for the most part. And now, we’re now seeing progress, whether it be with the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Ontario Line, these projects are well, well underway. But we’re going to work as hard as we can, to ensure the Crosstown gets open. But the one thing that I want to make sure is that we don’t now, in the testing and commissioning phase, rush anything that could jeopardize any individual’s safety, once it’s operational. So, we’ve made a lot of progress, a lot more work to do, and we’re going to continue doing so, as the construction is completed, and we’re now into testing and commissioning.
QUESTION & ANSWER
Rod Phillips
Right. Well, at least the first question from the audience. You joked about the issues on the Gardiner, but all of us had to come here today to one of the most, literally one of the most congested cities in North America. So, you know, who are you working with? I know this isn’t just your responsibility, but how are you, how are you addressing fixing that congestion problem, in the shorter term?
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
It’s a great question, it’s probably the, the biggest question I get everywhere I go—as I said, I can’t make any, I can’t complain about traffic, ever, just because it really falls on us. But I think, one of the approaches we have taken has been a very collaborative approach. I think, right off the bat, the first thing is, we have to get these projects built, we have to get these shovels in the ground. And so, where we see a lot of disruption, it’s for the better; it’s because we need to invest in public transit. Right around, right here at Queen Street, we’re seeing the Ontario Line being built, we’re seeing projects moving forward. The city is obviously under a lot of very heavy pressure with all this construction. But this because we had governments in the past that refused invest in some of the most important modes of transportation. You know, this will help our economy, it will help people move faster, and if we don’t do it now, it will never happen. And so, we’re going to have to struggle. But that being said, as this transit expansion is happening—you know, I had the chance to just chat with Mayor Olivia Chow, as we were talking about all of the challenges, just today, on the Gardiner, and the congestion. We’re also piloting projects, for example, with the City of Toronto, on new traffic lights, the AI, the 5G networks that we’re putting there, some of the cameras we’re putting there, with regard to congestion, and how we can move traffic faster. We have a working group through the ministry with the City of Toronto to see how can we speed up the process of building that Gardiner quicker, more efficiently, so we aren’t seeing the impacts that we are today. So, I think it takes collaboration between different levels of government. And I have to say that Mayor Olivia Chow’s a great partner to work with, since she’s been elected. We have all been working for the betterment of this city. And although we may, and will, disagree on many ideological, you know, concepts and ideas, on the transit file, we are moving forward and working together, to see how we can benefit the people of this province, and move more efficiently and quickly. So, it’s about bringing everybody together to see, how can we think outside the box, how can we move people quicker, knowing that we are going to have these constraints. So, but I assure everybody, there won’t be any bike lanes on the Gardiner, or Don Valley Expressway, I promise that.
Rod Phillips
All right, success. I see Joseph Mancinelli leading the, leading the applause on, on that. So, now we’ve heard about projects, and, and we, I think in this room, but I think Ontarians—I mean, they’ve, they’ve said it at the ballot box, they appreciate the need to build and grow. But there are other considerations, about whether it be the environment, or how communities evolve. How do you balance, in your role, 100 billion dollars is a lot of money to spend—a lot of our money, so keep that in mind—so, how do you balance those other considerations? Because there are legitimate balances that have to be made, and decisions in government that aren’t easy?
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
No, I think that’s, it’s a great question. And you know, I have now been in this file for about six to eight months. I would say, almost every project that we have put forward, there, in some circumstances, can be very, I would say, constructive criticism of that project. But one of the things that I have, I have really seen is sometimes a very targeted, organized approach to stop certain projects. And, you know, I mentioned that in my speech about very much anti-development. There are some people that just don’t want to see change. They don’t want to see highways being built, they don’t want to see the benefits, whether it be public transit, whether it be highways—it’s very consistent. And I look at, basically, the past challenges that we’ve had with the Ontario Line. We had about, you know, we have some of the most robust plans, when it comes to the environment. You can compare them against any province, any state in the US, in Canada, we have the strongest environmental protections. And we had this issue about three trees that held up the Ontario Line for almost six months, where we’re planting thousands of trees to replace them.
So, I think, you know, it’s about making sure that, sure, we’re going to listen to communities, we engage with them in various settings, we ensure that all that is being taken into consideration. But the vast majority of the projects that we have started, I have only heard resounding support for that. So, where there is a need to balance some of the issues that might come, come around, or come about; we work to mitigate those. But ultimately, somebody has to make a decision. And our decision is always to move forward, and build, especially when we see the opportunity to do so. Highway 413 is a great example of that. One of the fastest growing areas in the entire country. We’ve got highways all across the province. And I can tell you, most of the emails I get about Highway 413 are from people in downtown Toronto. It’s not the people that actually live in those cities, and commute in those cities. Those are the people that need the relief, those are the people that we need to build for. And that’s what the entire vision of Building Ontario is about. It doesn’t matter if it’s just downtown Toronto. It’s about building in the North, it’s about building in Peel Region, it’s about building in Windsor, and Ottawa. And it’s a connected transit system, a connected infrastructure system, that will really support this province.
Rod Phillips
Well, you mentioned 413, and that’s, I think you, you’re reading the mind of the audience, here. What do you see—and I know that’s out in your neighbourhood—what do you see as the challenges facing the communities around 413, in terms of how they can benefit from this vital piece of infrastructure that they now know is coming, but now, what does that mean for them, and how do they take advantage of it?
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
Yeah, I think there’s—anytime we can build highways, in a way, and especially in areas where we see significant population growth, I think ultimately, we could look at it from an economic perspective. I think, you know, highways, when we talk about companies that are coming to Ontario, or coming to Canada, one of the things that they tell us all the time is the investments that you are making, whether it be in public transit or highways, is one of the things that is really driving their decision to move their operations here, to move their company here. I think, when we develop highways, you have more opportunity for housing, you have more opportunity for better-paying jobs, good-paying jobs, to come with it. Not only through the construction side of it, which is a huge benefit for almost, you know, 10-plus years, but to what that helps attract in the future. You know, you look south of the border, you hear all the time about how incredible their highway networks and infrastructure is. We need to really mimic that here. And given that we do almost 400 billion dollars of two-way trade with just the United States and Ontario every single year, we need to continue developing, and helping support that infrastructure. We’re losing billions of dollars every year, stuck in that gridlock, causing a lack of productivity in our economy. So, all of this can really be used. But the one thing that I always find people appreciate the most is the time you will save to do things that you can appreciate, which is with your family. Like, nobody wants to be stuck behind the wheel for an hour, every single day. My drive to get into the city now is almost 30 minutes longer—30 to 40 minutes longer, depending on the day—because of the construction on the Gardiner. Nobody likes to sit in gridlock; nobody likes to sit idle behind the wheel. So, it’s important that we make the investments today, as our population has grown exponentially, and will continue to grow. We need these investments to build, and support our communities.
Rod Phillips
So, I can tell the, the new CEO of the Road Builders is in the room, because we’re getting more specific now. So, Highway 400, which everybody knows where that is, leads right up into cottage country, was identified in the budget for expansion. And is it possible tonight to talk about how that timing might connect to what’s happening with 413, and the other elements of, of the road infrastructure?
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
Absolutely. I think, you know, you’ve got some key corridors here, the 401, and the 413 will help connect that into the 400, and then you’ve got Highway 400, which, you know, has seen around that area, whether it be Barrie, Innisfil, and beyond, has seen significant growth, as well. And so, what we need to show, and what we need to do, is make sure that, where we’re building these relief points in the GTA, that we continue to expand those all across, up to the north. You can drive up, right now, up Highway 400. And obviously, on a Thursday or Friday, when you’re trying to get to your cottage, you can—you know. everyone’s experienced how difficult or congested that drive can be. So, this plan is really all about making sure that each part of this province, each corner of this province, is connected, and can move efficiently, and effectively. And so, where we are building more ways for people to travel to and from the east and the west ends, we have to make sure that places, whether it be Barrie and beyond, or Barrie Innisfil, places such as those, also have the appropriate investments to ensure that we can, and those people can, can face that relief. So, the Bradford Bypass, for example, is going to save almost 40 minutes, for people in that region. It’s much-needed relief. I’s been—governments have talked about it for years and years. We’ve just issued the design detail of it. We know we need to do more on that, we need to move faster on it, and that’s exactly what we intend to do. But ultimately, we’re really excited. It’s a plan to build, that carries each corner of this province, and we’re, we’re really looking forward to making sure that happens.
Rod Phillips
So, what’s the most fun thing about being Transportation Minister? I would think it would be all the big trucks, and stuff you’d get to, like, sit behind, and things.
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
It’s actually driving the subway cars—no, I promise you, I don’t do that. But honestly, it’s, every part of your life is so connected to transit or transportation in some way, whether if you just stay at home and you, you’ve got to order Uber Eats, and get somebody to deliver it, every person in this province relies on our transportation networks, and I think that’s a very powerful, something that’s really powerful. Our economy relies on our transportation network, supply chains would fall apart if we didn’t have a good infrastructure and capital to support it. That’s why I’m so proud to work with Premier Ford, to help develop and build for the next generation. Look, none of these projects are two-year projects, three-year projects. I think one of the biggest issues with governments is you get so focused on four-year windows of elections. The Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the 413, the Bradford Bypass—these are all four-plus, five-plus year projects that our government is delivering on. It’s about not having a short-term vision, but a vision that transcends just that, you know, that political four-year window. It’s about building for the next generation, it’s about building for the next decade. And that’s why I’m so proud to, to kind of work with Premier Ford on delivering this mandate, and changing the face of how people move in this province. That’s probably one of the, the funnest parts of the job, is just seeing everything being built, and seeing the impact that it’s gonna have on our communities across this province.
Rod Phillips
Great. So, we just have time for one more question, and it’s perfect from the audience. And so, we have some younger people here today, you have a young family, your job is about thinking about the future. I mean, imagine, I guess, explaining what you’re trying to do, on a given day, to, to one of your own kids, or, or one of the students here. You know, what, what is it that—you know, because it’s not an easy job, I know that. And, and there’s a lot of challenges. And even well-meaning people will cause challenges, and then as you said, there’s some folks who don’t have another solution; they just don’t like what you’re doing, because you’re doing something. But how do you speak, or speak now, maybe, to that younger generation about what this province is going to look like, and what it means to get this transportation network built?
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
It really comes down to the quality of life, I think. You know, when you have a transit system that can get you from point A to point B efficiently, if you can—you know, you look at, many people have been to Europe, and you see how quick and easy it is to jump on pretty much any mode of transportation, and get where you want. It’s really, really comes down to, to that quality of life, and that ability to have more opportunities in this province. You know, more jobs will come to Ontario if we have better transit connecting each part of the province. You’ll be able to live pretty much anywhere you want, within two to three hours of the GTA, we’ll get you, whether it be through GO Train, or TTC, you can get to wherever you need to go—or a regional bus system across this province. It’s really about having choices. And it’s about, if you want to drive in a car, or you want to take public transit, you have that choice, you can do that. You know, if you want your business to be able to, to succeed, and have access to markets across the world, you know, we’re going to give you that choice and option. So, it’s really about framing it from an economic perspective, and an opportunities perspective for us. These, the young people in the room here today will appreciate in 10 years, what this, you know, investment in infrastructure that isn’t happening anywhere else in North America. The vision that the Premier and our government has brought to making this a generational shift in how we move in this province, I think will truly be appreciated by that same generation. And we’ll look back and see, you know, the courage of the Premier and this government to just get it done, get it built, and what that means for all of us. So, I’m really proud to be a part of that plan, and someone who’s really excited to see that my kids ride the Ontario Line, or the Scarborough Subway Extension, or ride the Highway 413, I think it’s going to be really exciting, and it’s something that we’re all going to be very thankful for in the future.
Rod Phillips
So, that’s all the time we have. But Minister, thank you very much. Thanks for your service, and the service of your colleagues. And, and again, thanks to the Empire Club for providing the forum, so, thank you very much.
The Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria
Thank you very much. Thanks, Rod. I appreciate it.
Kelly Jackson
Excellent. Thank you so much, Rod, and Minister Sarkaria. I’d now like to welcome Andrew Weltz, Board Chair for the Ontario Road Builders Association, to deliver appreciation remarks.
Note of Appreciation by Andrew Weltz, Board Chair, Ontario Road Builders Association
Thank you for your warm introduction, Kelly. Good afternoon, ladies, and gentlemen. ORBA has a rich history in the province of Ontario. Founded in 1927, we have been representing the transportation infrastructure industry for 97 years. Today, ORBA represents over 280 member companies, who build, rehabilitate, and maintain Ontario’s roads and transit networks. From small family businesses to large multinationals, ORBA members, and over 56,000 workers they employ, form the backbone of Ontario’s construction industry. But ORBA is more than an association; it’s about building connections, fostering collaboration, and driving economic growth. ORBA tirelessly advocates for its members, ensuring their voices are heard in policy discussions, promoting fair procurement practices, infrastructure investments, workforce development, sustainability, and safety standards. It also catalyzes innovation, and excellence, through industry events, and knowledge exchange, helping members stay ahead of the curve, and delivering lasting projects.
It is my sincere honour to stand in front of you today, to thank our keynote speaker—and I must say, one of the greatest transportation ministers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Under the leadership of Premier Ford and Minister Sarkaria, Ontario is investing over 27 billion over the next 10 years, in the government’s Highway Expansion and Rehabilitation Plan, which includes Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass. ORBA members will be ready to deliver these historic projects, and promote economic competitiveness, improve transportation efficiency, reduce travel time, and enhance connectivity between regions, ultimately ensuring working people spend less time on the road, and more time with their loved ones. The projects our members build serve as a vital lifeline, connecting communities, driving progress, and shaping Ontario’s future. As we face future challenges, and opportunities, we stand together to build a better, safer, and more prosperous Ontario. Thank you once again, Minister, for your visionary leadership, and commitment to building and revitalizing Ontario’s transportation infrastructure. Under your stewardship, we’ve seen transformative projects, and innovative policies involving safety, efficiency, and accessibility. Thank you, and once again, I’d like to extend my gratitude to the Empire Club of Canada for hosting this wonderful luncheon. Thank you.
Concluding Remarks by Kelly Jackson
Thank you, Andrew, and thanks again to all of our sponsors for their support, as well as to everyone joining us today, both in person, and online. As a club of record, all Empire Club of Canada events are available to watch and listen to on demand on our website. The recording of this event will be available shortly, and everyone registered will receive an email with the link.
On Wednesday, June 12th, please join us for the Great Energy Transition Event. This is going to feature a curated panel of energy insiders, as they discuss how we build out our new, reliable, and greener energy supply, against unprecedented headwinds. The following day, on Thursday, June 13th, I invite you, as well, to consider joining us. We will be hosting the Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, the Honourable Vic Fideli. The Minister will share insights into how the province has been supporting the revival of Ontario’s auto manufacturing sector, and creating a climate for job creation in the province.
Thank you for your participation and support. I wish everyone a great afternoon. This meeting is now adjourned.
