MPI Should Invest More in Road Safety, Not Just Rebates
January 10, 2022
Treaty 1 Territory, Métis Homeland, Winnipeg, MB - Manitoba Liberals are calling for MPI to put more money towards municipal road safety and improvements in road infrastructure to reduce car crashes and deaths, instead of only handing out rebates.
In the "Manitoba Road Safety Plan - 2017-2020," published jointly by MPI and the Manitoba Government in May 2019, the report stated that:
"The annual social cost of motor vehicle collisions in Manitoba (in terms of loss of life, medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost productivity, property damage, etc.) are estimated at $6.4 million per fatality and $133,000 per injury. When these costs are applied to the number of fatalities and injuries, the societal costs of traffic fatalities and injuries were over $2 billion in 2013, or approximately three per cent of Manitoba's gross domestic product."
According to MPI's latest Annual Report for 2020, the total investment in road safety was $8.8-million. The year before, it was $14.5-million.
MPI is planning a rebate in 2022 of $335-million.
"Whether it is in Winnipeg, or northern and rural Manitoba, our roads and highways are often treacherous, and the municipalities are strapped for cash because of PC cuts and freezes," said Dougald Lamont, Manitoba Liberal Leader and MLA for St. Boniface. "MPI is already investing in road safety, the question is why it is a paltry $8.8-million, because these investments could reduce costs for all Manitobans in the long run."
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Background:
www.mpi.mb.ca/Documents/Road-To-Zero.PDF
www.mpi.mb.ca/Documents/RoadtoZeroProgressReport.pdf
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