On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, claiming the lives of 157 people, including 18 Canadians and many others with ties to Canada. The Government of Canada stands in solidarity with their families and loved ones who continue to live with a profound sense of loss and suffering. We continue to keep those who were lost in our thoughts and in our hearts.
The Government of Canada is fully committed to the bypass project and the entire route that has been identified to permanently get trains out of downtown Lac-Mégantic. This is an important project for the community, the Government of Canada, and the families of the 47 victims of the tragedy. The Government of Canada is working with the Government of Quebec, the Town of Lac-Mégantic, and the municipalities of Frontenac and Nantes to complete this project that will benefit the community.
High Frequency Rail will transform passenger rail service in Canada through the creation of a faster, more frequent, accessible, and sustainable rail service among the major centres of Québec City, Trois-Rivières, Montréal, Ottawa, Peterborough, and Toronto.
Ensuring that all Canadians have access to safe, efficient and reliable air travel is a top priority for the Government of Canada. This past summer demonstrated how much work remains to be done to ensure a strong recovery of the sector and the continued need for collaboration between all partners. It is only by continuing this work that we can grow the industry and our economy, continue creating good jobs for Canadians and ensure reliable supply chains.
The last two and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance of local and regional airports to keeping communities connected to essential services and to each other. That’s why the Government of Canada is committed to supporting airports from coast to coast to coast.
The last two years have underscored the crucial role airports play in supporting essential air services. By ensuring community resupply, air ambulance, search and rescue, and forest fire response, airports contribute to keeping Canadians safe and connected from coast to coast to coast. Canadians rely on safe and well-maintained local and regional airports to support vibrant communities.
Local airports play a crucial role in Canada, connecting communities from coast to coast to coast while also ensuring they continue to have access to essential services like air ambulance, resupply, and forest fire response.
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is making important safety investments at local and regional airports in British Columbia.
July 6, 2013 is a date that has marked our country. No community should ever have to live through what Lac-Mégantic experienced. This is why the Government of Canada is committed to making the rail bypass a reality. This will usher in a new beginning for the people in the area. This important project must include ongoing collaboration with people in the community, keeping them informed every step of the way.
Northern communities across Canada depend on well-maintained airports to keep them connected. These airports also support essential air services including community resupply, air ambulance, search and rescue, and forest fire response.
