A recent report published by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy proposes that Canada should change its national motorways to a system more similar to the European Autobahn. The report argues this would provide economic benefits that would ultimately outweigh the multi-billion dollar construction costs.

Wendell Cox, a transportation policy consultant who wrote the report, believes some parts of the Trans-Canada highway are inefficient and others outright neglect certain regions of Canada.

The study singles out Manitoba and Ontario as particularly troubled areas because of the “long, crowded, slow, two-lane stretch of roadway.”

The study also says that “Canada pays an economic price for this lack of a world-class highway system.”

Cox said our motorway system is so inefficient that it’s often faster to cross the border and use the U.S. system to get from Canadian point A to Canadian point B.

“ Canada is the largest developed nation that does not have an advanced freeway system.

Wendell Cox, transportation consultant

“If you’re to drive to Toronto, you’ll save time driving through the U.S. from Winnipeg,” Cox said.

Though not commenting on Cox’s specific proposal, the Manitoba department of infrastructure and transportation agrees the country’s highways are in need of improvement.

“The Province of Manitoba supports an enhanced national highway system initiative for the country,” said John Thorpe, communications co-ordinator for the province.

“We’ve done numerous significant projects to improve the flow of traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway … east and west,” he said, adding that all Manitoba gas tax revenue is put back into the transportation system.

Rapid transit advocate Kaj Hasselriis opposes the idea. He believes the money can be better spent elsewhere.

“No one except fringe, right-wing think tanks are advocating for this,” said Hasselriis. “We’ve got a perfectly good Trans-Canada highway. Commerce takes place in Canada at pretty good speeds every day.”

Cox argues that advanced highway systems pay huge dividends and says the Trans-Canada Highway is not up to par with first-world transportation standards.

“Canada is the largest developed nation that does not have an advanced freeway system,” Cox said.

Hasselriis said Cox has a self-serving agenda and that the public ought to consider the source of the research.

“[Cox] is a transportation consultant who counts on big business to prop up his research. This is a guy who has written books on why urban sprawl and Walmart are good.”

Published in Volume 64, Number 12 of The Uniter (November 19, 2009)