We could build two right now - one in Ontario and one in Alberta (parallel to QEII) - on existing land grants. Instead, we just keep making the highways wider.

In northern Canada, it gets so cold that bikes aren’t viable. Try biking a couple miles in -20C and black ice on the road before you make blanket statements like this.

That said, with a changing global market in mind, countries have been more willing to get involved in the planning and development of national automotive companies. Mexico’s “Olinia”, for instance, is a planned EV line set to be led by a new federal ministry, with a focus on affordability. As noted in its initial press release, the target demographic is families and young people, with three models expected to cost between US $4,400 to US $7,400—significantly lower than other EVs sold in the country.

The idea is that a nationally led framework will aid in the project’s coordination, with production intended to take place across several regions to keep costs down. Government ownership will also ensure a reliable stream of investment and that the end product is something attainable by the average Mexican family.

Turkey is pursuing a similar project through its Automobile Joint Venture Group (TOGG), a consortium of companies with the support and financial backing of the government. The goal is to create a national brand of EVs, with some models already being available for purchase.

With Mexico and Turkey offering prospective templates, Canada need not reinvent the wheel in pursuing its own, publicly owned automaker. Only the federal government has the ability to operate a program of this magnitude by bringing together our natural resources, skilled workforce, and industrial capacity to create a sustainable and affordable Canadian brand.

I don’t think we’re that far apart in views but we are very different in terms of who we think needs to lead the change.

I’m putting the onus on societal level changes in the built environment and acceptance of children and persons with disabilities.

You seem to be putting the onus on individuals to drive the change by personally overcoming barriers.

You are proudly talking about how you personally have overcome barriers but not everyone can. With 30% or the adult population identifying with at least one disability, it’s not a small or isolated issue.

As is said in the disability community, not everyone has the spoons and certainly not every day. Don’t shame others for what they may not be able to accomplish that you can.

The 15 minute journey problem is primarily evidence of a problem with where stores and services are located in relation to residences.

Affordability notwithstanding, bike and public transit as a person with visual, hearing or mobility limitations remain deeply challenging in most communities.

Wonderful that your children and grandchildren have been able to meet expectations or haven’t faced needs that couldn’t be accommodated. Most persons or families experiencing disabilities wouldn’t have your experience or might put their limited spoons to other priorities.

I’m surprised there’s no mention in this report of the possibility of electrifying and developing public transit across Canada. There is still too much emphasis on individual vehicles, which are very wasteful regardless of the energy source.

Do I really need to mention who was in the path of the original railway? That being said, a single, coast-to-coast line actually does make sense, and is one of those projects under serious consideration at the federal level. But, it’s going to compete with airlines, not cars. If you want to go from Regina to Saskatoon or Calgary to Drumheller neither that nor an ebike are going to help.

Have a look at just about any public works project around and how they go, if you actually interested in or care about this. You’re going to have to demolish homes and restructure communities along the way. It can be done, and it has, but it’s slow and terrible, and a lot of people will hate it. I would assume the trans-Canada highway reused a lot of existing road and still was like that.

Yes, it still is a good idea to do some. The QEII plan looks like it would be crammed in there pretty tight, but it’s worth it; then again, our current government is crazy and likes to blow up projects already underway because their cousin would have a view ruined, or whatever.

Switching overnight from building cars to rail stock is quite something else.

That said, with a changing global market in mind, countries have been more willing to get involved in the planning and development of national automotive companies. Mexico’s “Olinia”, for instance, is a planned EV line set to be led by a new federal ministry, with a focus on affordability. As noted in its initial press release, the target demographic is families and young people, with three models expected to cost between US $4,400 to US $7,400—significantly lower than other EVs sold in the country.

The idea is that a nationally led framework will aid in the project’s coordination, with production intended to take place across several regions to keep costs down. Government ownership will also ensure a reliable stream of investment and that the end product is something attainable by the average Mexican family.

Turkey is pursuing a similar project through its Automobile Joint Venture Group (TOGG), a consortium of companies with the support and financial backing of the government. The goal is to create a national brand of EVs, with some models already being available for purchase.

With Mexico and Turkey offering prospective templates, Canada need not reinvent the wheel in pursuing its own, publicly owned automaker. Only the federal government has the ability to operate a program of this magnitude by bringing together our natural resources, skilled workforce, and industrial capacity to create a sustainable and affordable Canadian brand.

In northern Canada, it gets so cold that bikes aren’t viable. Try biking a couple miles in -20C and black ice on the road before you make blanket statements like this.

Try biking in a couple miles in -20C and black ice on the road

Its easy to conveniently ignore that other countries in Europe have developed cycling infrastructure to combat the negatives of biking in the winter.

Its just called prioritising bike infrastructure on par with cars, i.e. clearing snow and bike paths that aren’t reliant on car infrastructure in the first place.

I was in Calgary or Edmonton, I forget it was a work trip blur. The train was right down the middle of the road. You could reach out your car window and touch it. If you want something there are ways to make it fit

At high speed, you’re not going to run a track streetcar style. Safety and strong gusts to the surrounding area aside, they have really shit turn radius. (Edit: Like, kilometers)

IIRC the QEII line would be raised in the margin between the two traffic directions. The stations would be trickier, and I’m not sure if a solid plan even exists, although, yes, it can be done somewhere somehow. And come to think of it, I’m not sure how they’re planning to run it through the existing overpasses, either.