Towards Estimating the Social and Environmental Costs of Transportation in Canada - report for Transport Canada

Sep 19, 2026

A formal research report prepared for Transport Canada that estimates the social and environmental costs of transportation in Canada. It presents an executive summary and detailed chapter structure addressing major externality categories, including congestion externalities and travel time savings, the value of statistical life, costs of accidents, noise, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and other related impacts. The introduction further sets study background, defines internal versus external costs, and explains valuation and measurement issues for externalities and non-market effects.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages460

Reading Time19 h 19 min

AccessFree to download

Table of Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

Abbreviations

Executive Summary

Chapter 1: Introductory Chapter

1.1 Background and Purpose of Study

1.2 Structure of the report

1.3 Marginal Costs or Average Costs, Internal or External?

1.4 Internalisation of Costs

1.5 Issues in Measuring Externality Costs

1.6 Economic Valuation

1.7 Externality Categories Explored in Considering the Full Costs of Transportation

1.8 Limitations of This Study

Chapter 2: Congestion Externalities and the Value of Travel Time Savings

Chapter 3: The Value of Statistical Life

Chapter 4: Cost of Accidents

Chapter 5: Noise Costs

Chapter 6: Air Pollution Costs

Chapter 7: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Towards Estimating the Social and Environmental Costs of Transportation in Canada A report for Transport Canada by Anming Zhang (Project Director), Anthony E. Boardman, David Gillen and W.G. Waters II In collaboration with Diane Forbes, Heng Ju, Alice Owen, Markus von Wartburg, Steve Yong, and Andrew Yuen Centre for Transportation Studies Sauder School of Business The University of British Columbia 2053 Main Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2 Canada August 2004 Revision November 2004 Revision to Sections 6 .5, 6.7, 7.6 March 2005 Towards Estimating the Social and Environmental Costs of Transportation in Canada A report for Transport Canada Authors: Anming Zhang (Project Director), Anthony E. Boardman, David Gillen and W.G. Waters II In collaboration with Diane Forbes, Heng Ju, Alice Owen, Markus von Wartburg, Steve Yong, and Andrew Yuen. Specific chapters were authored primarily by: Chapter 1 – W.G.Waters II, David Gillen, Alice Owen and Anming Zhang Chapter 2 – Markus von Wartburg and W.G. Waters II Chapter 3 – Anthony E. Boardman and Steve Yong Chapter 4 – Diane Forbes and Anthony E. Boardman Chapter 5 – David Gillen Chapter 6 – Anming Zhang and Andrew Yuen Chapter 7 – Heng Ju, Andrew Yuen and Anming Zhang Additional research assistance was supplied by Li Chen, Kate Foreman, Carl Ruest, Victor Ortiz, Qing Wu, and Li Yu. Centre for Transportation Studies Sauder School of Business The University of British Columbia 2053 Main Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2 Canada Phone (604) 822-4510 Fax (604) 822-4977 August 2004 Revision November 2004 Revision to Sections 6 .5, 6.7, 7.6 March 2005 Table of Contents TOWARDS ESTIMATING THE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF TRANSPORTATION IN CANADA ....................................................................... 1 AUTHORS:...........................................................................................................2 TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................3 LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................... 10 LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................. 12 ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................. 14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. Chapter 1: Introductory Chapter .................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 2: Congestion Externalities and the Value of Travel Time Savings........... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 3: The Value of Statistical Life ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 4: Cost of Accidents.......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 5: Noise Costs.................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 6: Air Pollution Costs ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 7: Greenhouse Gas Emissions.......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .....................................................................41 1.1 Background and Purpose of Study ............................................................................................. 41 1.2 Structure of the report................................................................................................................. 41 1.3 Marginal Costs or Average Costs, Internal or External? ......................................................... 42 1.4 Internalisation of Costs.....................................................................................

FAQs

What does the report aim to estimate for transportation in Canada?

The report focuses on estimating the social and environmental costs associated with transportation in Canada.

Which externality categories are covered in the chapter structure?

The document includes congestion externalities and travel time savings, the value of statistical life, costs of accidents, noise costs, air pollution costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and other externality categories.

How does the introduction frame costs and valuation methods?

It discusses marginal versus average costs, internal versus external costs, internalisation of costs, issues in measuring externality costs, and economic valuation methods including opportunity cost, non-market impacts, and discount rate selection.

Sep 19, 2026

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