MÎNÎ THNÎ, AB, Feb. 14, 2025 /CNW/ - Six rural communities across Alberta will see improvements to local public transit services, after an investment of more than $3.4 million from the federal government.
In Stoney Nakoda Nation territory, funding will support the purchase of new transit assets to expand public transit capacities and connect residents to nearby hubs, such as Cochrane, Mînî Thnî, and the Bow Valley Corridor. The project will also result in new-demand transit service and the installation of bus stops, signage and other transit infrastructure.
Funding to the Bearspaw First Nation will support the purchase three vehicles to address transit service gaps in the Eden Valley, and further help provide members of the Stoney Nakoda Nation with safe and reliable transit options to get to their destinations.
Additional projects will focus on purchasing vehicles, including standard, mini, and electric buses to support both on-demand and fixed route public transit services in rural communities across the province.
Expanding public transit service is essential to helping residents, including vulnerable populations, access community services, such as childcare, healthcare, and other everyday essentials.
Quotes
"The projects we are announcing today demonstrate our commitment to better connecting communities across the country, whether urban or rural. Expanding public transit options and services through vehicle purchases will help all residents navigate their communities and access essential services with more ease."
George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, on behalf of the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
"The Stoney Nakoda Nations welcomes Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada's Rural Transit Solutions Program and the associated funding to re-capitalize our Nation's SWIFT Transit system. The new buses and associated infrastructure will provide a more reliable, safe and secure transit program for our people in the Mînî Thnî area."
Comments from the Stoney Nakoda Nation Chiefs
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Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing $3,447,412 in these projects through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF), municipal partners are contributing $186,075, and other funding partners are contributing $56,052.
- The RTSF supports the improvement and expansion of locally driven transit solutions, by helping residents of rural, remote, Indigenous and Northern Communities conduct their day-to-day activities, like access services, go to work, school, medical appointments, and visit loved ones.
- A minimum of 10% of RTSF's funding is allocated to projects that benefit Indigenous populations and communities.
- Through the Capital stream, eligible applicants can apply for a federal contribution of up to $10 million to help cover the cost of capital assets, which includes purchasing vehicles, and supporting infrastructure (e.g., bus stops and charging stations). Applications to the Capital Stream must be submitted by Tuesday, March 4, 2025, and Tuesday, April 8, 2025, from Indigenous applicants. For more information, please visit https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/rural-trans-rural/index-eng.html.
- One in five Canadians live in rural communities. Rural communities in Canada account for nearly 30% of the nation's gross domestic product.
- The RTSF complements Canada's strengthened climate plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. Through the plan the federal government has committed to providing federal funding for public transit in support of making clean and affordable transportation available in every community.
- The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an average of $3 billion a year of permanent funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive communities.
- The CPTF meets the needs of communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas, to mid-size and smaller communities, including rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities.
- Since 2015, the federal government has committed over $30 billion for public transit and active transportation projects. These historic investments have resulted in close to 2000 projects across the country.
- As the world moves towards a net-zero economy, people living and working on the Prairies are taking action and are leading to take advantage of growing economic development opportunities.
- On December 18, 2023, the federal government launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which highlights the need for a collaborative, region-specific approach to sustainability, focusing on strengthening the coordination of federal programs, and initiatives with significant investments. This Framework is a first step in a journey that will bring together multiple stakeholders. PrairiesCan, the federal department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian prairies, has dedicated $100 million over three years to support projects aligned with priority areas identified by Prairie stakeholders to build a stronger, more sustainable, and inclusive economy for the Prairie provinces and Canada.
- Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada is supporting the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy to encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities, leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the Prairies that better meet their needs.
Associated links
Rural Transit Solutions Fund
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/rural-trans-rural/index-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Housing and Infrastructure Project Map
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html
Building a Green Prairie Economy Act
https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/B-9.88/page-1.html
Building a Green Prairie Economy
https://www.canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development/programs/green-prairie-economy.html
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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Sofia Ouslis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada,613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]
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