History
The Department of Transport was created in 1935 by the government of William Lyon Mackenzie King in recognition of the changing transportation environment in Canada at the time. It merged three departments: the former Department of Railways and Canals, the Department of Marine and Fisheries, and the Civil Aviation Branch of National Defence under C. D. Howe, who would use the portfolio to rationalize the governance and provision of all forms of transportation (air, water and land). He created a National Harbours Board and Trans-Canada Air Lines. The Department of Transport Act came into force November 2, 1936.
Prior to a 1994 federal government reorganization, Transport Canada had a wide range of operational responsibilities including the Canadian Coast Guard, the Saint Lawrence Seaway, airports and seaports, as well as Via Rail and CN Rail. Significant cuts to Transport Canada at that time resulted in CN Rail being privatized, the coast guard being transferred to Fisheries and Oceans, and the seaway and various ports and airports being transferred to local operating authorities. Transport Canada emerged from this process as a department focused on policy and regulation rather than transportation operation.
The current Minister of Transport is the Honourable Denis Lebel.
Transport Canada's headquarters are located in Ottawa, at Place de Ville, Tower C. Transport Canada also has regional headquarters in:
- Vancouver - Government of Canada Building on Burrard Street at Robson
- Edmonton - Canada Place
- Winnipeg - Macdonald Building
- Toronto - Government of Canada Building 4900 Yonge Street
- Dorval (Montreal) - Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport, 700 Place Leigh Capreol
- Moncton - Heritage Building
Read more about this topic: Transport Canada
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