Media Clipping — Thursday, November 30, 2006, Cape Breton Post

Transportation system expensive, unsustainable: report

Nova Scotians may not realize it, but transportation has quietly become their single largest household expense, says a new report.

The 550-−page report, released Wednesday by Genuine Progress Index Atlantic, a non−profit research organization, estimates the transportation system costs citizens of the province at least $6.4 billion a year.

"From an economic point of view, transportation is becoming less affordable," said GPI Atlantic executive director Ronald Colman, one of the report's authors.

He said in addition to direct costs such as car payments and gas, Nova Scotians pay for the transportation system indirectly, through taxes and other expenditures not usually associated with transportation.

"When we look at the full costs of transportation, those direct costs are actually a minority," said Colman. "There are many transportation−related expenditures of which the average consumer, the average Nova Scotian, is unaware."

Colman cited fees incorporated into rent payments to subsidize underground parking as an indirect, or hidden, expense.

He said another example is income taxes which help cover the cost of providing health care to vehicle accident victims.