Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have criticized the federal government for swearing off funding new roads – a statement on which Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has since backtracked.
Guilbeault said Monday that road construction encourages people to use cars, so the federal government would no longer provide municipalities with funding for new roads. He said those funds should instead be used to fight climate change.
“Our government has made the decision to stop investing in new road infrastructure. Of course, we will continue to be there for cities, provinces, and territories to maintain the existing network, but there will be no more envelopes from the federal government to enlarge the road network,” said Guilbeault.
Smith was the first premier to speak out against Guilbeault’s proposal on Tuesday. In a post to X, she said Guilbeault needed a reality check about life for ordinary Canadians.
“So now our Environment Minister wants to cut federal funding for roads… because we should all just walk more. Does this minister understand that most Canadians don’t live in downtown Montreal? Most of us can’t just head out the door in the snow and rain and walk 10km to work each day,” said Smith.
Ford posted to X shortly after Smith, saying that he was “gobsmacked” by Guilbeault’s announcement.
“A federal minister said they won’t invest in new roads or highways. He doesn’t care that you’re stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. I do. We’re building roads and highways, with or without a cent from the feds,” said Ford.
The Ontario government issued a press release Wednesday on its efforts about how it would be taking the next steps to widen Highway 7 to help fight gridlock on the 401.
Smith, speaking at an unrelated conference on Wednesday, elaborated on her response to Guilbeault’s announcement.
“Anyone who thinks that you can stop building roads has obviously not travelled outside of Montreal very much, and doesn’t understand how big this country is, and doesn’t understand what it takes to get to some of our resort communities,” said Smith. “I would say that the environment minister has once again demonstrated how tone-deaf he is on anything to do with environmental issues.”
Guilbeault backtracked on his comments Wednesday, claiming he should have been more precise with his language and that he was only referring to some road projects.
Guilbeault said that one-quarter of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, making walking, cycling, and public transit desirable alternatives in his and the government’s eyes.
“We must stop thinking that electric cars will solve all our problems,” said Guilbeault at a luncheon hosted by the public transit advocacy group Trajectoire Québec.
The Trudeau government has spent up to $30 billion to develop public transit since 2016, alongside the launch of Canada’s inaugural annual financing program for public transit projects, earmarking $3 billion annually for projects beginning in 2026, said Guilbeault.
The Liberal government had additionally spent $400 million to encourage walking, cycling and the use of wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, roller blades, snowshoes and cross-country skis, supporting infrastructure projects like multi-purpose trails, bike lanes, pedestrian bridges over roads, and the enhancement of lighting and signage to promote what is termed “active transportation.”
Outside of these investments, Guilbeault said that all levels of government must stop expanding the road network. He said that adding more roads and new lanes on existing roads has encouraged more car use, resulting in more congestion and more calls for road expansion.
“If you are a decision maker and you decide to build a government institution far from public transit systems, then by default, you are inciting people to use their cars to access that public service. All of our planning practices have to be coherent with these mobility objectives for the reduction of the ecological footprint of transportation and of greenhouse emissions.”
