Minister reports on transportation meetings in Toronto

Lloyd Matthews, Minister of Works, Services and Transportation, said today that he was extremely pleased with discussions held at the recent meeting of transportation ministers in Toronto. He said the meeting gave him an opportunity, as recently-appointed minister, to share information about policy and program developments with jurisdictions across the country.

Consistent with positions expressed by other provincial ministers, Mr. Matthews asked the federal government to provide additional funding for our national system of highways which includes the Trans Canada Highway, Route 100 to Argentia and the Trans Labrador Highway.

Mr. Matthews also raised the future of Marine Atlantic. Confederation Bridge now eliminates marine service to Prince Edward Island and ferry services in the Bay of Fundy have been privatized. As Marine Atlantic now provides service to Newfoundland only, Mr. Matthews asked the federal government to move Marine Atlantic headquarters from Moncton to Newfoundland as soon as possible.

Mr. Matthews has also requested an early meeting with federal Transport Minister David Collenette to discuss major bilateral transportation issues including existing cost-shared programs. Mr. Matthews said the province currently has a demand for funds to meet highway reconstruction needs and earlier delivery of the federal funding would ease this problem.

The next annual conference of transportation ministers will be held in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1998.

Contact: Rick Callahan, Director of Communications, (709) 729-4860.