International Trade committee  Yes. There are labour shortages in every trade. It's hard to recruit and retain staff.

International Trade committee  The main thing we need to do is develop our infrastructure. In my opinion, infrastructure in regions such as Saguenay is absent or inadequate. It's really hard for our clients to use intermodal transport. Trains aren't always an option, because either cars or infrastructure are lacking, so the only option is trucking.

International Trade committee  In terms of rail transportation, the relationship with the various participants is tricky to the point of jeopardizing opportunities for some businesses. Some of our clients tell us on a regular basis that this is an issue.

International Trade committee  I imagine that Transport Canada could be very helpful, because the railway belongs to the company that operates it. Currently, the only company that serves the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region is the company that owns the rail line. I imagine that's also the case in other regions.

International Trade committee  Yes, we would need new infrastructure or access to new markets so other companies can use the railway. That's how it works in road transportation. Roads are used by all carriers.

International Trade committee  Good afternoon, everyone. First of all, I would like to thank the chair and the members of the committee for having us here today. My name is Maxime Lavoie, and I'm the director of operations at Transport F. Gilbert. I've been working in transportation for almost 20 years. Transport F.