Introduction
An efficient transport system is the lifeblood of any successful economy. The main objective of those who are responsible for its governance is to ensure that transport plays complete part in the achievement of the stated and agreed social and economic outcomes. In this paper, we will be discussing the key elements of the transport governance structure for Canada.
This paper describes transport governance and ownership from a geographical standpoint. It sets out the results of introductory work on the current structures as well as the potential options possible for future arrangements . It is important to understand the role that the state plays in transport because the territorial governments are greatly involved in the ownership and management of all transport activities. The policies and strategies they adopt over a period of time will shape up the development of transport services and infrastructure in a range of ways and also at a myriad range of longitudinal extents. In addition to the national and military considerations on security as a whole, the state interventions in the transport sector undertake promotion of economic development efficiently along with pursuing important social objectives such as widespread accessibility and mobility along with addressing environmental concerns like global warming.
Transport Governance – Canada (referred as Transport Canada henceforth):
Transport Canada is accountable for all the transportation programs and policies. It promotes a highly safe, well-organized, secure, and ecologically sustainable system of transportation. Transport Canada, through the minister of Transport reports to Canadians and the Parliament and Canadians. It works with other government jurisdictions and departments, its portfolio partners and industry to ensure that the complete transportation system of Canada works well (Government of Canada, 2016).
Transport Canada works with more than four thousand people at its headquarters and in 5 regional offices all across the country. The Vision of the Organization is “A transportation system in Canada that is recognized worldwide as safe and secure, efficient and environmentally responsible” (Government of Canada, 2016)and the Organization’s mission is “To serve the public interest through the promotion of a safe and secure, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system in Canada” (Government of Canada, 2016). The organization carries out a plethora of program initiatives, while also supporting the various groups that work out of its headquarters located in Ottawa as well as also from various other locations all over the nation (Government of Canada, 2016). The headquarters in Ottawa comprises of several departments namely, “the Safety and Security, Policy, Port and Airport Programs, Surface infrastructure and corporate Services (Government of Canada, 2016).”
Governments in several global locations have been involved for many years now, in pursuit of the privatization of their airports (civil). A plethora of plans, including selling the assets to third parties, the makeover of the public administrations into establishments that have share capital, and offering concession or operational contracts to specific entities among others. With specific reference to Canada, precisely during the turn of the late 1990s, the Canadian federal government chose an exceptionally distinct model that retains the ownership of all the assets and properties related to the airports. “The management, operation and development of airports, including capital funding, are entrusted to local airport authorities created specifically for this purpose and whose primary mission is to provide airport services to meet the specific needs of the communities they serve.”
The various local airport authorities, like for instance the Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), are basically non-profit entities, and hence do not have a share capital, which is actually managed by a board of directors and this board is completely autonomous. Similar to several other local airport authorities, even the AMD has a mechanism of long-term lease with Transport Canada, which further delineates the obligations and a few specific issues related to the operations.
The government of Canada is conscious of the fact that Canada is at present requires a system of transportation that is safe and sound, which is of high importance for ensuring the competitive advantage and economic prosperity of the nation. ‘Efficient, safe and secure transportation systems and environmental responsibility are important priorities for Transport Canada to promote a secure and transport system (Government of Canada, 2016).”
A secure and safe transport system protects its people not only from casualties but also from harm to both their health and also their property. It also:
enables proficient flow of goods and people
People protection from exposure to risky goods and accidents
Safeguards the environment from pollution caused by various activities, and
Aides in an enhanced quality of life for its citizens, eventually building a nation that comprises of a healthy population as well as a thriving economy (Government of Canada, 2016).
The departmental structure of Transport Canada is as follows:
Source: (Government of Canada, 2016).
The safety and security activities of Transport Canada includes Aircraft services, rail and road safety, marine safety and security, preparedness for security and emergencies, civil aviation, transportation of goods that may be dangerous, and last but not the least, security of urban and rail transit. The managing of security and safety measures minimizes, recognizes and prevents threats and risks even before they take place. Small problems are fixed before they transform into severely dangerous and complicated issues to be dealt with. For instance, in order to recognize and minimize the possibility of accidents, Transport Canada constantly researches about the various reasons behind the incidence of accidents and eventually help organizations in the creation and utilization of safety management systems. It also caters to resources that help prevent happening of accidents in the accident prone areas. Transport Canada, in collaboration with its associates, does safety promotion in 3 ways – rule-making, over-sight and outreach. (Government of Canada, 2016)
The rule making efforts includes suggesting and then putting the standards, laws, regulations and policies in place. The efforts also include over sight activities which include issuing licenses, registrations and permits, certificates, conducting audits, surveillance and inspections and under-taking action whenever rules get broken. Promotion and education of the public awareness of security and safety issues are a part of the outreach (Government of Canada, 2016).
The funding and the governance agendas of the transportation in the metropolitan regions of Canada have been essentially established as a result of the distinct historical, topographical and jurisdictional backgrounds. The local situations like the demand for transportation, geography, rate of growth, laws and guidelines differ significantly. Yet, one of the most common themes that is often obvious among the metropolitan areas is their incessant pursuit of the adaptation of the transportation governance as well as commercial arrangements for dealing with the existing and the future transportation requirements of the nation and its citizens in a rational and sustainable way.
Conclusion
An efficient transport system is the lifeblood of any successful economy. The main objective of those who are responsible for its governance is to ensure that transport plays complete part in the achievement of the stated and agreed social and economic outcomes. The primary objective of this essay is to discuss about the development of a framework to explore, understand as well as to model the urban transport governance mechanism . In this paper, we offer a first view on the theoretical approach of this framework. Based on the theoretical framework, the focus is primarily upon the associations that exist between the main performers of the urban transport systems and on the decisions pertinent to transport demand and supply in order to model transport governance based on Canada case (Christodoulou, & Finger, 2012).
Transport Canada is accountable for all the transportation programs and policies. It promotes a highly safe, well-organized, secure, and ecologically sustainable system of transportation. Transport Canada, through the minister of Transport reports to Canadians and the Parliament and Canadians. It works with other government jurisdictions and departments, its portfolio partners and industry to ensure that the complete transportation system of Canada works well (Government of Canada, 2016). Transport Canada is dedicated to keeping Canada's air, rail, marine and road transportation systems among the safest in the world making it worthy of public confidence.
The safety and security activities of the organization encompass Aircraft services, rail and road safety, marine safety and security, readiness to deal with unforeseen catastrophes or emergencies, civil aviation, transportation of goods and merchandise that may be massively risky in nature, and finally also the security of urban and rail transit. The management of security and safety initiatives reduces, appreciates and evades the various threats and risks much ahead of their actual incidence.
In a nutshell, transportation in the Canadian society is essentially regarded as a mutual responsibility that is shared by the federal, regional, and civic levels of the government. The role played by the federal and regional governments in particular are delineated precisely in the Constitution Act established in the year 1867.
Generally, the Canadian federal government has the legal power to monitor the global and inter-provincial transport mechanisms, while the regional governments are liable for the intra-provincial transport as well. Practically put, the efficiency in the operational issues as well as the regulation of the nation’s transportation system is highly dependent upon the close collaboration of all the various stakeholders – the private sector included – in order to ensure the well-being, efficacy, ecological sustainability, and safety.
Traditionally, the actual motives and objectives of the transportation policy of the Canada’s federal government were in essence to link markets and the various Canadian communities, while the regional and the civic policies concentrating more upon the local, economic as well as the social requirements of the Canadian citizens. Yet, during the mid-20th century, the transportation policy of the federal department laid increased emphasis upon the marketplace structures for promoting the competition and efficacy of the system, while also ensuring the apt degree of safety. This blend of the federal governing and marketplace structures and the choice of the market is evident from the Canada Transportation Act, particularly the National Transportation Policy, which is part of the above Act.
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