 |
||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Much has been accomplished during the 2002/03 fiscal year, including a reorganization of the Ministry of Transportation. Perhaps most significant, the Transportation Investment Act, which provides the framework for involving private-sector partners in designing, building and maintaining infrastructure projects, became law. Fulfilling a New Era commitment, we are spending an additional $75 million a year for three years to address the accelerating deterioration of northern and heartland roads. We have also spent an additional $20 million on oil and gas resource roads and are spending $52 million on the Nisga'a Highway. During my provincial tour last summer, I heard from British Columbians in every region about their transportation priorities. The new Service Plan outlines procedures to address those priorities, which include a safe and reliable highway system, improved key transportation infrastructure that supports economic growth and trade, and improved competitiveness for B.C.'s transportation industries. To support the government's goal of fostering a strong and vibrant economy, an integrated multi-modal transportation plan will be developed with input from eight new Regional Transportation Advisory Committees. Partnerships with the private sector will expand, with five major projects now under development. We will also continue to take advantage of federal-provincial cost sharing programs to ensure the most efficient use of public funds; in the 2002/03 fiscal year those federal provincial transportation programs produced $170 million for highway and border crossing improvements. New road and bridge maintenance contracts designed to save the province $26 million through reduced labour costs will be tendered by October 2004. Over all, the Ministry of Transportation is meeting the challenge to provide leadership and efficient, cost effective service while meeting our obligation to maintain and protect our vital highway system. Honourable Judith Reid
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||
I
am pleased to present the Ministry of Transportation's 2003/2004-2005/2006
Service Plan.
