Essays in Canadian Surface Transportation

Gordon C. Shaw is professor emeritus, Faculty of Administrative Studies,
York University.

This book consists of four essays on subjects pertaining to Canadian
surface transportation.

David Gillen and Douglas Cooper discuss the advantages of private
ownership of Canadian airports and seaports, supporting their arguments
with descriptions of private operations in other countries. Their main
point is that the public sector is unwilling to price its facilities and
services in an efficient manner. This inefficiency creates an excess
demand that in turn leads to the excessive levels of investment seen,
for example, at the Calgary and Mirabel airports.

Norman Bonsor compares the regulation and efficiency of Canadian
railways and highway transportation. His essay provides a useful summary
of regulation dating back to about 1903. It also reveals the subsidies
paid to the railway and highway modes. Bonsor stresses the economic
advantages of private and unregulated operations, but only when each
mode (especially the trucks) pays its full costs.

Richard Soberman provides a common-sense analysis of the need for, and
advantages of, high-speed trains (of the French TGV type) in the Quebec,
Montreal, Toronto, and Windsor corridor. After describing the costly
infrastructure required for such trains, he indicates that a
considerable speed increase could be obtained, at a much lower cost, by
improving the present system. While acknowledging that some
federal-government participation in a fast-train project may be
justified, Soberman argues that the private sector should finance
further studies, as well as the bulk of the actual project.

Wendell Cox and Jean Love argue that urban transit should be made more
efficient by contracting the operation of many bus services to private
contractors. They make a convincing case, again stressing the advantages
of private operation and providing examples from other countries. Less
persuasive is their argument that previous large investments in
fixed-rail systems have been in error.