KITCHENER, ON, Aug. 29, 2019 /CNW/ - Strategic investments in public transit infrastructure play a key role in supporting efficient, affordable and sustainable transportation services that help the residents of the Region of Waterloo, and their families get to work, school and essential services on time and safely back home at the end of a long day.
The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Waterloo, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; along with Karen Redman, Chair of the Region of Waterloo, today announced funding for five public transit projects in the Region of Waterloo.
Also in attendance for the announcement were Marwan Tabbara, Member of Parliament for Kitchener South–Hespeler; Raj Saini, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre; and Bryan May, Member of Parliament for Cambridge.
These projects will help increase capacity of the public transit system in the region. The residents of Waterloo Region who use public transit will benefit from 31 new diesel buses, in addition to 21 specialized transit buses.
The community will also benefit from a new maintenance and storage facility that will have the capacity to house 200 buses, 22 maintenance bays, three inspection pits, one degrease bay, a tire bay, two wash stations and a dedicated cleaning lane. Commuters and residents will benefit from improved capacity, reliability, and better access to regular and specialized transit services in the region.
The Government of Canada is investing more than $57 million in these projects through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS) of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Ontario is providing more than $47 million to the projects, while the Region of Waterloo is contributing more than $55 million.
Quotes
"Projects like these help our communities provide efficient and reliable services that transform the way Canadians live, move, and work. These important projects will provide residents and commuters in the Waterloo Region with the infrastructure needed to travel across the community safely and reliably. This is an excellent example of how we are working to build stronger, more sustainable infrastructure that will serve communities now and in the future."
The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Waterloo, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"A well-resourced transit system is critical to the future development of Waterloo Region. I am pleased that our government has been able to provide significant funding for many transformational projects that will better serve commuters in Waterloo Region."
Marwan Tabbara, Member of Parliament for Kitchener South– Hespeler
"This investment is wonderful news for the entire Region and will have a significant impact on the sustainability of our transit system. Our government is committed to re-envisioning our community through an environmental lens and supporting a necessary transition to a cleaner and more prosperous future. This transit project will allow us to continue to meet Waterloo Region's needs for years to come."
Raj Saini, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre
"Critical infrastructure investments like this are key to the success of our community, and I'm proud of our government's investment. Grand River Transit's operations enable citizens to live, work, and play in our region, and this funding will support them in getting there faster, more easily, and with improved safety."
Bryan May, Member of Parliament for Cambridge
"The Region of Waterloo is pleased with today's infrastructure funding announcement", said Regional Chair Karen Redman. "Our local Members of Parliament have long been supportive of our efforts to improve our transit infrastructure. It is investments like these that recognize the importance of transit in creating a vibrant and liveable community, reducing suburban sprawl and in meeting the transportation needs of our growing community."
Karen Redman, Chair of the Region of Waterloo
Quick facts
- Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing 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 is supporting public transit projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
- More than $10.1 billion of this funding is supporting trade and transportation projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
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Backgrounder
Residents in the Waterloo Region to benefit from improved public transit infrastructure
Joint federal, provincial and municipal funding through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will support five public transit infrastructure improvement projects.
The Government of Canada is investing over $57 million in these projects through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS). The Government of Ontario is contributing more than $47 million while the Region of Waterloo is contributing more than $55 million to these projects.
Project Information:
Project Name |
Project Details |
Federal Funding |
Provincial Funding |
Municipal / |
Region of Waterloo Northfield Drive Maintenance and Storage Facility |
The Northfield Drive Maintenance and Storage Facility will provide new storage and maintenance space for Region of Waterloo buses. It will have a capacity to house 200 buses, 22 maintenance bays, three inspection pits, one degrease bay, one tire bay, two wash stations and a dedicated cleaning lane. It will also provide new administration space and parts storage capacity.
|
$47,527,200 |
$39,602,039 |
$48,674,960.60 |
Grand River Transit - Purchase of Additional Coventional Buses
|
This project includes the purchase of 15 diesel buses which will address Grand River Transit's projected future service growth and ridership targets.
Commuters and residents will benefit from the improved capacity of public transit system in the Waterloo Region.
|
$3,969,000 |
$3,307,169
|
$2,646,331 |
Grand River Transit Conventional Bus Replacement |
The project consists of purchasing 15 new clean diesel buses to replace existing buses in the Grand River Transit fleet that have reached the end of their useful life.
Commuters and residents will benefit from the improved reliability and safety of the transit system in the Waterloo Region.
|
$3,969,000 |
$3,307,169 |
$2,646,331 |
Grand River Transit- Replacement of MobilityPLUS Vehicles |
This project consists the purchase of 19 specialized transit buses to replace vehicles that have reached the end of their asset life.
Residents and commuters will benefit from the improved capacity, reliability and access of specialized transit services in the Waterloo Region.
|
$1,425,000 |
$1,187,381 |
$950,119 |
Grand River Transit - Purchase of Additional MobilityPLUS Vehicles |
This project includes the purchase of two specialized service buses which will address Grand River Transit's projected service growth and ridership targets for their MobilityPLUS service.
This will create better access to specialized transit services for residents in the Waterloo Region. |
$160,000 |
$133,320 |
$106,680 |
Associated links
Investing in Canada Plan Project Map:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map
Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/investments-2002-investissements/on-eng.html
Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html
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Web: Infrastructure Canada
SOURCE Infrastructure Canada
Contacts: Ann-Clara Vaillancourt, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-697-3778, [email protected]; Stacey Abbott, Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Region of Waterloo, 519-575-4837; Media Relations: Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]
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