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OTTAWA – The federal government is set to launch its first three “regulatory roadmaps” to modernize regulatory frameworks across Canada with enhancing road safety and transportation requirements as one of its focus areas.

Budget 2019 proposes allotting up to $219 million over five years to Transport Canada, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency so the three entities can move forward on their roadmap work. In its 2018 budget the federal government announced its intention to “review regulatory requirements and practices that impede innovation and growth” in high-growth sectors such as transportation and infrastructure, health and bio-sciences and agri-food and aquaculture.

“As a next step, Budget 2019 introduces the first three ‘regulatory roadmaps’ to specifically address stakeholder issues and irritants in these sectors, informed by over 140 responses from businesses and Canadians across the country, as well as recommendations from the Economic Strategy Tables,” reads the 2019 federal budget.

The roadmaps contain proposals for legislative and regulatory amendments “as well as novel regulatory approaches to accommodate emerging technologies, including the use of regulatory sandboxes and pilot projects— better aligning our regulatory frameworks with industry realities.”

The road safety and transportation roadmap will look to address the various transportation requirements across Canada’s provinces and territories which create “barriers and inefficiencies for businesses that transport goods by road,” according to budget 2019.

“Transport Canada will support provinces and territories in working towards improved alignment of these requirements, including for the use of autonomous and connected vehicles,” explained Budget 2019. “Funding would be made available to other stakeholders, such as academia and industry associations, to identify innovative road safety options, including for emerging technologies.”