Liberal (Minority/Majority) Government 2025 - ???

[dapaterson]

There's a huge group of folks opposed to the project. Lots of expropriated land is required. Construction isn't even supposed to start by the end of the decade. How much are tickets going to cost if the rail project needs $90B CAD before the overruns start???

How much do we charge in road tolls?

 

[Halifax Tar]

How much do we charge in road tolls?

We should be doing this.

I'm all for user fees. I would prefer this to taxes.

 

[Czech_pivo]

We should be doing this.

I'm all for user fees. I would prefer this to taxes.

In some US states they cover road costs off by gas tax. Need an additional 5 billion in anew road cost, add that proposal during the next vote and list the cost of it as a new 3 cents a gallon tax for 5yrs to pay for it. Afterwards the 3 cent tax is removed.
Similar to a user tax like a road toll.

 

[Halifax Tar]

In some US states they cover road costs off by gas tax. Need an additional 5 billion in anew road cost, add that proposal during the next vote and list the cost of it as a new 3 cents a gallon tax for 5yrs to pay for it. Afterwards the 3 cent tax is removed.
Similar to a user tax like a road toll.

With the proliferation of EVs and Hybrids I suspect our gas usage will be trending down.

But user fees stay the same

 

[Czech_pivo]

With the proliferation of EVs and Hybrids I suspect our gas usage will be trending down.

But user fees stay the same

True!
Another approach to cover off the EV/Hybirds could be 'add' the user fee tax built into the cost of buying new replacement tires. That way you cover off the EV/Hybrid's.

 

[PuckChaser]

How much do we charge in road tolls?

We don't, we have a boat load of federal and provincial gas tax though.

 

[Czech_pivo]

A bit of a head scratcher. This would service a massive chunk of the countries population (~7,777,205 Canadians).



This after all the banging he's done about getting projects started.

Poilievre calls for cancellation of multibillion-dollar high-speed rail project

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the federal government to cancel a proposed high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City.

www.ctvnews.ca

Have a look at the ridings outside of the urban ones that will be impacted by this - I suspect that they are Conservative.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I see the early Via train enroute from Montreal to Toronto pretty much every morning. Tons of empty seats in each car because it's reliably late. Maybe fix this and boost ridership before dropping billions on a new line.

Rode the train from Toulouse to Montpellier and then Montpellier out to Sete and Frontignan a few times and then Montpellier back to Toulouse 2 weeks ago.
1) Trains left on time for each of the trips
2) Some rides were the 'intercities' trains with assigned seating and some were on 'TER' trains with open seating
3) Train from Montpellier to Toulouse was an 'intercities' train with assigned seating. This train was 55mins late arriving in Toulouse. Within an hour I had received an email from SNCF informing me that I was entitled to possible compensation because of the train being late. Just fill out this form and they would get back to me. I click on the link, filled out the form and hit submit. Within 20mins I had a new email saying that I would have a 25% refund applied back to my VISA by the next day.

Trains later than 30mins but under 2hrs get a 25% refund, 2-3hrs 50%, over 3hrs 50% capped. Via trains over 1hr but under 4hrs - 50% refund. Under 1hr, nothing. Over 4hrs 100% refund.

 

[captloadie]

Living in the area, I have heard all the negative comments about this, and it is pure NIMBYism and self interest driving the arguments. These same individuals would argue against new hydro lines, pipelines, or highways.
The biggest argument being made is how it may impact property values, and keep people from buying properties in the affected areas. They are valid concerns, but sometimes the greater good has to outweigh individual wants and desires.
These same individuals, especially along the proposed northern route, will be the same ones crying about wanting highway 7 to be twinned to reduce accidents and traffic.

 

[dapaterson]

We don't, we have a boat load of federal and provincial gas tax though.

Which fail when people shift to EVs.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

True!
Another approach to cover off the EV/Hybirds could be 'add' the user fee tax built into the cost of buying new replacement tires. That way you cover off the EV/Hybrid's.

Good policy - horrible politics. No voter really notices an increase in gas taxes. If they have to pay a large lump sum when purchasing tires, they will definitely notice.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Which fail when people shift to EVs.

Taxes will just shift to something else. E.g people with EV's will just get charged a road usage tax.

 

[brihard]

In Ontario we used to pay vehicle registration fees, which would at least capture all motor vehicles. They were eliminated as a political bribe in the lead up to a provincial election.

 

[YZT580]

We don't, we have a boat load of federal and provincial gas tax though.

at least in Ontario, your gas tax used to be known as a road tax and was actually applied to highway development.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Living in the area, I have heard all the negative comments about this, and it is pure NIMBYism and self interest driving the arguments. These same individuals would argue against new hydro lines, pipelines, or highways.
The biggest argument being made is how it may impact property values, and keep people from buying properties in the affected areas. They are valid concerns, but sometimes the greater good has to outweigh individual wants and desires.
These same individuals, especially along the proposed northern route, will be the same ones crying about wanting highway 7 to be twinned to reduce accidents and traffic.

I have no dog in this fight. But as a fellow who is now purchasing a rural acreage I would be pissed if the Gov wanted to expropriate it, I also wouldn't buy near these train tracks.

NIMBYism, sure. But also perhaps valid. People don't go rural to have to deal with high speed rail.

 

[Halifax Tar]

True!
Another approach to cover off the EV/Hybirds could be 'add' the user fee tax built into the cost of buying new replacement tires. That way you cover off the EV/Hybrid's.

Pay as you go my friend. That's where I'm at.

 

[Brad Sallows]

This after all the banging he's done about getting projects started.

Every public dollar spent benefits someone.

Some public dollars spent don't benefit enough someones.

$90B is in the region of one-sixth of annual federal spending. This for something that cannot allow for detours in the event of closures of parts of it or made available to other users.

If more economic-boosting infrastructure is wanted, build more roads, which can be used by everyone for purposes private and commercial.

 

[suffolkowner]

if we are building a high speed rail run maybe we should build a practice one from Calgary to Edmonton to work the kinks out? Is there demand?
We used to pay all sorts of fees to the Ministries, no it all goes into general revenue same as the gas tax

 

[Czech_pivo]

Every public dollar spent benefits someone.

Some public dollars spent don't benefit enough someones.

$90B is in the region of one-sixth of annual federal spending. This for something that cannot allow for detours in the event of closures of parts of it or made available to other users.

If more economic-boosting infrastructure is wanted, build more roads, which can be used by everyone for purposes private and commercial.

It represents 1/6 of the annual federal spending for a project that represents a geographical catchment area of what % of the population of Canada? Greater than or less than 1/6 of the population?

As an FYI 1/6th is approximately 7million people.

The Greater Toronto-Hamilton area is 8.3 million people
The Greater Peterbourgh arear is 135.000
The Greater Ottawa area is 1.5 million people
The Greater Montreal area is 4.3 million people
The Greater Trois Rivieres area is 140,000k
The Greater Quebec City area is 866.00 people
Total = 8.3m + 135K + 1.5m 4.3m +886k + 140k = 15.2m

This represents greater than 1/3 of the population of Canada, so its under-represented in terms of annual Federal spending.

EDIT: I missed adding Ottawa into my original calcs and Trois Rivieres.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Every public dollar spent benefits someone.

Some public dollars spent don't benefit enough someones.

$90B is in the region of one-sixth of annual federal spending. This for something that cannot allow for detours in the event of closures of parts of it or made available to other users.

If more economic-boosting infrastructure is wanted, build more roads, which can be used by everyone for purposes private and commercial.

You're missing the best part of the high speed rail. With Poilievere speaking out against it that's 3 solid years of Poilievre-HSR stories dominating the news. HSR will also be a great segue for the F35/Gripen experts to migrate to.