SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 5
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS
Closing the infrastructure gap can mean A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL CANADIANS
• 95% view Canada’s trade infrastructure, like highways, ports, railroads and airports, and a skilled workforce as important to Canada’s economy; but almost four in 10 (38%) say Canada’s trade infrastructure is in poor or bad shape. • 94% place a high degree of importance on supply chains, labour supply, internal trade; 92% for international trade • Yet few Canadians know the degree to which Canada’s economy is dependent on international trade – when asked to guess, respondents said 50.5%. It’s actually more than 65% • 93% Canadians strongly (55%) or somewhat (38%) agree that, given how important trade is to Canada, we need to prioritize making sure our trade infrastructure can effectively move people to jobs and products to market • 94% of Canadians strongly (54%) or somewhat (40%) agree Canadian governments and industry need to work together to create a national plan to invest in building and maintaining long- term, trade infrastructure • 92% are concerned that without a strategic and long-term plan, taxpayer dollars for trade infrastructure investments may not be spent wisely • 91% think Canada’s level of investment in trade infrastructure should be proportional to that of other G7 countries • 87% find it concerning Canada has dropped from 10th in 2009 to 32nd (behind Azerbaijan) in 2019 in the World Economic Forum’s ranking of quality of transportation infrastructure • 88% find it concerning that among major trading economies like the US, the EU, the UK and Australia, Canada is the only one that does not have a long-term trade infrastructure plan Ipsos poll conducted between June 2 and June 5, 2023, for the Canadian Construction Association https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/over-90- canadians-think-trade-important-yet-only- 9-think-infrastructure-in-good-shape TRADE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS HELP: CANADIANS
Canada’s infrastructure is our economy’s arterial system. It makes it possible for us to participate in trade and grow the economy. But for the last years, we’ve been spending infrastructure, faster than we’ve been investing in it. We require a clear plan. Governments simply don’t have enough money to do everything that’s required, so we need to set priorities. Most importantly, our political leaders need to show that they understand what every small businessperson and every household knows: there’s a significant difference between spending money and investing it. Too often our tax dollars disappear from sight as soon as the cheque is written. In contrast, genuine investments bring clear economic returns. Canada is rich in the natural resources and commodities the world is thirsting for – potash, agricultural products and critical minerals, for example – but we need infrastructure that can deliver the goods to market dependably and on time. The combination of a clear infrastructure strategy and badly needed reforms to our costly, duplicative and slow regulatory system are needed so we can get our products to global markets. Governments can’t continue to pay for the transition to net zero, health care, old age security, defence, and any number of other policies and programs by writing cheques on a bank account that’s already overdrawn. Meeting these goals will require strong economic growth that can only come from a healthy private sector. With the right economic and regulatory policies, we can unlock billions of dollars of growth-producing private sector investment. The starting point must be a clear plan and a genuine partnership between business and government that can unblock the regulatory system and overcome our infrastructure deficit. Getting Canada’s house in order is both an obligation and an opportunity. More than ever, Canada produces what the world needs. We have a duty to use our abundance of resources to assist in meeting the world’s requirements for food, energy and other critical supplies. And, by helping others secure what they urgently need, we will create opportunity for Canadians as well. A healthy infrastructure system will both help our producers get their goods to market and assist businesses that need to import critical inputs or to get goods from abroad to meet the needs of Canadian families. The deficiencies in Canada’s logistics system are serious. Left unaddressed, they will inflict a growing economic cost. However, these shortcomings are fixable if we are prepared to work together to develop a coherent strategy and demonstrate the political will across all levels of government to act on it. None of us should have any doubt that our geography, our rich resource inheritance, and the strength of our people make us the most fortunate country in the world. It’s in our hands to use that good fortune to build a more prosperous future for all of our citizens.
Perrin Beatty is President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
A fter experiencing so many disruptions to our fragile supply chains over the past few years, Canadians know that our economy is only as strong as its weakest link. Families across the country are becoming more accustomed to understocked store shelves and a rapidly rising cost of living. The flow of goods in, out, and across Canada has been repeatedly interrupted by wildfires, floods, or the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to labour disruptions that hobble our supply chains. To fix these problems Canada needs a long-term plan to ensure the reliable flow of goods, stability for Canadian businesses, and economic certainty for Canadian families. We are at an inflexion point. We need to decide where we want to go, and we need to act to stem the decline in our leadership on the international stage and in our share of the global economy. In the new global trade economy, we will either lead or we will lose. Being able to compete internationally in a global economy where competition grows by the day is critical to our national well-being and to the financial security of every Canadian. Our competitiveness and reputation in international markets depend on having reliable transportation infrastructure to transport goods efficiently and speedily. However, many of our competitors have built infrastructures that are pulling significantly ahead of Canada’s. The World Economic Forum Competitiveness Index shows Canada’s transport infrastructure in serious decline over the past decade or more. Our ranking fell from its peak of 10th in the world in 2008, to 32nd in 2019. It has likely worsened since then.
Powered by FlippingBook