With the election right around the corner, CAA-Québec stands on its priorities
Amid the current election campaign, CAA-Québec sent a letter to all political parties outlining the main issues that the organization believes the next government will have to address in terms of infrastructure and road safety, mobility funding and electric transportation.
Upgrade infrastructure
CAA-Québec believes that the state of Quebec’s road network is worrisome and that the asset maintenance deficit continues to grow. In particular, the organization recommends:
- Prioritizing the preventive maintenance of existing infrastructure before carrying out new projects
- Planning maintenance budgets as soon as the infrastructure is put into service and adopting a full life-cycle approach
- Increasing financial support to municipalities for the maintenance of their road networks
- Promoting the integration of innovative technologies and materials and sharing best practices.
Establish sustainable funding for mobility
In the face of a growing need for investment in transportation infrastructure, CAA-Québec proposes:
- Expanding and diversifying the revenue sources of the Fonds des réseaux de transport terrestre (FORT)
- Improving transparency for the financing of road and public transport networks
- Acknowledging that transportation infrastructure benefits the entire community
- Avoiding further tax hikes on motorists without any direct compensation
- Prioritizing projects based on evidence and available expertise.
“Mobility is essential to our quality of life and must remain a driver of safe development. Every road victim is far more than a statistic. Road safety and the improvement of our transportation infrastructure must therefore be among public decision-makers’ priorities. Solutions exist, and CAA-Quebec is ready to collaborate on them.”
Do more for road safety
CAA-Québec believes that improving the road safety record must be a government priority. The organization therefore recommends:
- Introducing administrative penalties for drivers with a blood alcohol concentration between 0.05 and 0.08
- Adapting the Highway Safety Code to new modes of active transportation
- Improving protection and visibility for workers working on highways, including tow truck drivers
- Strengthening road safety awareness, education and training initiatives.
Pursue the electrification of transportation
To support the energy transition of the transport sector, the next government should consider:
- Maintaining measures to support the acquisition of electric vehicles beyond December 31, 2026
- Accelerating the deployment of the fast-charging network
- Harmonizing Quebec’s standards with those of other Canadian provinces and the federal government
- Taking regional, economic and social realities into consideration in the implementation of electrification policies
- Ensuring greater consistency between the government’s objectives and the budgetary measures adopted.
The political parties have been invited to make their positions known on these issues. CAA-Québec will analyze the responses we receive and may release them in order to fuel discussions on these issues during this election campaign.
About CAA-Québec
CAA-Québec offers a wide range of assistance services in a wide variety of sectors, drawing on a human approach. As a socially committed organization, CAA-Québec strives on a daily basis to protect the interests of its members. And in keeping with its values of reliability and benevolence, it fosters responsible consumption and promotes road safety.
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