Canada and Quebec support better public transit services for Greater Montréal Area residents

LA PRAIRIE, QC, May 14, 2018 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize that investing in public transit infrastructure is crucial to economic growth, reducing air pollution, and creating inclusive communities where everyone has access to public services and job opportunities.

Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Jean-Claude Poissant, Member of Parliament for La Prairie; and Richard Merlini, Member of the National Assembly for La Prairie, attended a ground-breaking ceremony today to mark the start of work to expand the park and ride in La Prairie.

At this event, federal and provincial elected officials also announced an investment of nearly $10.7 million for six projects being carried out by the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM) under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. The Government of Canada will provide more than $5.9 million for these projects, and the Government of Quebec will contribute over $4.7 million. The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain will provide the remaining funding.

In addition to increasing parking at the La Prairie transit terminal, the projects include a program to maintain and improve commuter train cars on the Deux-Montagnes line. The funding will also go towards creating a reserved bus lane on Route 132 East.

Once completed, this work will improve the performance, efficiency and reliability of Greater Montréal Area's transit system, make it more inclusive and allow the RTM to meet the community's immediate needs while preparing for anticipated future increases in ridership.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is investing in projects to help build sustainable communities while promoting economic development and the growth of the middle class. The public transit projects announced today will help reduce commute times and greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing the overall user experience and preparing the Greater Montréal Area for future growth."

Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"These investments all across the region, including at the La Prairie terminal where construction is starting today, will meet the growing demand from residents who use public transit. These investments will have a real impact on families' quality of life."

Jean-Claude Poissant, Member of Parliament for La Prairie

"These investments demonstrate our government's ongoing commitment to being a true leader in sustainable mobility for the improvement of everyone's quality of life. As we all know, public transport is an effective solution for reducing traffic congestion on our roads and it is with innovative projects in our communities that we will increase mobility throughout our territory."

Lucie Charlebois, Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living, and Minister Responsible for the Montérégie Region

"I am pleased today to mark the beginning of the La Prairie parking lot expansion project with this ground-breaking. Its popularity proves that our citizens are ready to use public transit when they have access to efficient, quality infrastructure."

Richard Merlini, Member of the National Assembly for La Prairie, on behalf of André Fortin, Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification

"We are delighted with the investments made by the governments of Canada and Quebec on these Réseau de transport métropolitain projects. This 10.7 million investment will allow us to improve the reliability and performance of our current rolling stock, purchase equipment to meet our operational needs, expand a busy park and ride lot, improve information to customers and create a new bus lane. The RTM will thus be able to offer its users a more reliable and efficient transport network."

Raymond Bachant, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Réseau de transport métropolitain

"Expanding the La Prairie park and ride lot as well as improving the rolling stock and technological tools throughout the RTM network will contribute to providing users of public and active transportation in the metropolitan area with an improved experience. We are pleased to financially support these projects and the RTM in their achievement."

Paul Côté, Chief Executive Officer of the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain

Quick Facts

• The Public Transit Infrastructure Fund has been funding projects since April 1, 2016. In total, the program is investing more than $1.8 billion in public transit projects. The Government of Canada will contribute up to $923.7 million, and the Government of Quebec, up to $739 million. Municipal governments are also helping fund projects through public transit authorities.
• The Government of Canada will invest more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• $28.7 billion of this funding will support public transit projects, including $5 billion that will be available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
• Over the next ten years, the Government of Quebec plans to invest more than $100.4 billion through the province's infrastructure plan in health, education and transportation to improve families' quality of life and support innovation and economic growth.

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Backgrounder

The governments of Canada and Quebec support better public transit services for Greater Montréal area residents

Investments of nearly $10.7 million

Public Transit Infrastructure Fund

The governments of Canada and Quebec are investing $10,656,000 in six projects being carried out by the Réseau de transport métropolitain to improve commute times, reduce air pollution, strengthen communities and grow the regional economy.

The Government of Canada is contributing $5,920,000 to the projects, representing 50 per cent of the total eligible costs, and the Government of Quebec is providing $4,736,000, representing 40 per cent of the total eligible costs. The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) will provide the remaining funding.

List of new projects

Project Name	Federal Funding	Provincial Funding	Funding from the ARTM	Anticipated Start Date
MR-90 reliability and maintenance program	$2,150,000	$1,720,000	$430,000	April 1, 2016
Extension of Terminus La Prairie  - Construction	$1,250,000	$1,000,000	$250,000	June 1, 2018
Reconditioning of F59PHI locomotive power units	$1,200,000	$960,000	$240,000	September 1, 2017
R-132 East bus lane – Construction	$805,000	$644,000	$161,000	March 31, 2018
Chrono - SAEIV phase at terminals (development only)	$277,500	$222,000	$55,500	January 1, 2020
Trackmobile for the Pointe-Saint-Charles maintenance centre	$237,500	$190,000	$47,500	July 1, 2017

Associated Links

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan (PDF Version):
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/site/alt-format/pdf/plan/icp-pic/IC-InvestingInCanadaPlan-ENG.pdf

Investing in Canada plan project map: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html

Federal investments in infrastructure projects in Quebec: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/index-eng.html

Smart Cities Challenge: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/cities-villes/index-eng.html

Quebec Infrastructure Plan: https://www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/PDF/budget_depenses/18-19/fr/8-Infrastructures_publiques_du_Quebec.pdf

Twitter: @INFC_eng 
Website: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

Contacts: Brook Simpson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Tel.: [phone]; Marie-Pier Richard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification, Tel.: [phone]; Alexandra Régis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living, and Minister Responsible for the Montérégie Region, Tel.: [phone]; For Information: Infrastructure Canada, Tel.: [phone], Toll-free: 1-877-250-7154; Media Relations, Communications Branch, Quebec Department of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification, Tel.: [phone], Montréal: 514-873-5600, Toll-free: 1-866-341-5724, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/