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| Most serious accidents occur at night in winter conditions due to icier road surfaces, poor visibility and driver fatigue. (Photo: Ontario Ministry of Transportation) |
Flewelling said that roads act "as the most critical component of Canada's transportation network and a driving force of the Canadian economy, it is remarkable that the federal government has, once again, neglected the need for sustained, strategic investment in road and highway infrastructure."
The government is considering earning the revenue needed through road tolls, but according to polls the move would not be popular. Most Canadians, especially residents in BC, pay an extra fee for road improvements when insuring their car. In Canada, gas prices are skyrocketing with a large portion of the cost due to direct federal and provincial taxation. Adding insult to injury 7% GST is added to the final bill, on top of all the taxes. The Liberals believe that motorists do not see the "full-costs" of using roadways. Clearly Canadians don't agree, collectively feeling they are paying enough for operating vehicles without the added proposition of tolls. "Attention to road transportation funding should not mean that we must increase fees and taxes," remarked Flewelling.
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| Canada's long winters cause more need for continual highway maintenance that warmer climates, mostly due to erosion and frost heaves. (Photo: Ontario Ministry of Transportation) |
In addition, Canada is one of the few countries without a national policy or program in support of our national road and highway infrastructure. The government does recognize the concerns of inadequate road conditions but still fails to maintain and invest in the cause. Flewelling commented that this "is a position that must clearly change, especially at a time when our neighbours to the south are moving in the opposite direction in terms of infrastructure spending."
For the time being the CAA will continue to lobby the government on the importance of investment in the maintenance of our major routes. Included in their initiatives will be a strong voice for the creation of a national highways policy that insures road improvement and subsistence.