The Trans-Canada Highway

News Reader The Minister of Mines and Resources, Mr. McKinnon, has announced that on December 15th, Dominion and provincial representatives will get together to discuss the establishment of a first-class trans-Canada highway. Paul Smiley reports from Ottawa.

Paul Smiley:This conference will concern itself exclusively with matters of policy. For some years, it's been a debatable point whether or not a trans-Canada highway actually exists. Back in the early years of the Depression, the federal government, through The Relief Act, offered to underwrite a percentage of the costs of building and improving roads in the provinces provided those roads formed a continuous route from coast to coast. Accordingly, between 1931 and 1934, each province designated a specific provincial highway or highways as part of such a route, and passed an order-in-council to that effect. Consequently, the Canadian Government Travel Bureau isn't wrong in stating that motorists may now travel over improved highways from one ocean to the other in Canada - provided the trip isn't attempted in winter, that is. The Big Bend section of the British Columbia portion of the route is closed from the middle of October until the late spring.

In comparison with the old corduroy roads of pioneer days, the provincial highways are improved. Considerable work was done on some of them during the war years, but for the most part, they're still far from being an attraction to tourists. The federal government wants them to be attractive; hence, the coming conference.

After it's been decided that the provinces do in fact want a trans-Canada highway - and here the point will probably be argued that the federal government should make a grant to the provinces applicable to all the provincial highways, rather than just those sections in the trans-continental system - after that decision has been made, the provincial authorities will be asked to decide what route they want the trans-Canada highway to follow within their several boundaries. Then, and only then, will the conversations reach the technical level. There will be another conference at which the engineers will take over from the administrators and talk about such things as level crossings, grades, curves and other professional matters. Finally, the federal government will offer to pay a certain percentage of the cost of the project. If a satisfactory financial arrangement is worked out, Canada will ultimately have a cross-country highway along which motor vehicle drivers can travel in comfort. This is Paul Smiley speaking from Ottawa.