Shuswap Association for Community Living expands access to services with a wheelchair accessible vehicle

CITY OF SALMON ARM, BC, Nov. 1, 2024 /CNW/ - The federal government is investing $94,000 in the purchase of a wheelchair accessible bus. With this investment, Shuswap Association for Community Living will be able to extend its services for persons with disabilities within Salmon Arm's city limits and surrounding communities.

The Shuswap Association for Community Living's programming includes employment services, community inclusion, supported living, community housing, outreach, and home sharing. Before now, public transit in Salmon Arm and the surrounding communities has been limited for individuals who rely on wheelchair accessible vehicles. The accessible bus allows the Association to support people who are dependent on a wheelchair accessible vehicle to actively participate in their programming.

Quotes

"This is an incredible investment for the Shuswap Association for Community Living. We are proud to invest in and support services that allow people to engage and grow within their communities. We will continue collaborating with communities across Canada to provide transit service options that meet the unique needs of rural communities."

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"This investment in a wheelchair accessible bus will make a meaningful difference in the lives of many in the Shuswap; it's a significant step forward for the Shuswap Association for Community Living and the communities it serves. Being able to facilitate transportation for individuals we support in wheelchairs will expand the services SACL provides and ensures that all individuals, regardless of mobility challenges, can access services and opportunities they need to live fulfilling lives. On behalf of SACL, I'd like to thank the Government of Canada and all our sponsors for their continued support."

Karen Hansen, Executive Director, Shuswap Association for Community Living

Quick Facts

• The federal government is investing $94,000 in this project through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF), and the Shuswap Association for Community Living is contributing $33,443.
• The RTSF helps Canadians living in rural and remote areas get around their communities more easily. It supports the development of rural transit solutions, including new transit service models that could be replicated or scaled up.
• The RTSF's Capital Projects stream helps cover capital costs like the purchase of vehicles, including zero-emission vehicles. This stream closed on February 28, 2024.
• The RTSF's Planning and Design Projects continuous intake remains open. Through this stream, eligible applicants can receive a grant up to $50,000 in support of a communities' projects to plan and design a new or expanded transit solution for their communities. Some examples of eligible Planning and Design Projects activities are assessment of routes and modes of travel, feasibility studies, public and stakeholder engagement and surveys.
• A minimum of 10% of RTSF's funding is allocated to projects that benefit Indigenous populations and communities.
• 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.
• Federal funding is conditional on the signing of the contribution agreement.

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 

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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]; Karen Hansen, Executive Director, Shuswap Association for Community Living, [email protected]