Governments of Canada and Ontario invest in public transit in Durham Region

AJAX, ON, Oct. 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Investing in public infrastructure supports efficient, affordable and sustainable transit services that help Canadians and their families get to work, school and essential services on time and back home safely at the end of a long day. The governments of Canada and Ontario are making investments that will help create well-paying jobs and grow the middle class now while building a strong foundation for a sustainable economic future.

Mark Holland, Member of Parliament for Ajax, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Granville Anderson, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham; and Shaun Collier, Regional Councillor, on behalf of Roger Anderson, Durham Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, today announced approval of the Durham Region Transit Fleet procurement project that will benefit Durham Region under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). The federal government is providing up to 50 percent of funding for this project—$987,799. Durham Region will provide the balance of funding.

This PTIF project involves the procurement of four conventional transit buses. The new fleet will improve service reliability and rider experience for a more comfortable daily commute. Once in service, these new buses will support the growth of the Region's public transit system while getting people where they need to go efficiently and on time.

This investment is part of an agreement between Canada and Ontario for the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is working closely with the Province and municipalities to invest in important transit initiatives that will strengthen communities across Ontario by growing the middle-class and fostering long-term prosperity. Durham Region residents today and into the future will benefit from the improved public transit system, providing transit users with affordable and efficient public transit infrastructure."

Mark Holland, Member of Parliament for Ajax, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"This project will benefit everyone in our community by supporting the growth of our transit system. These new buses will help the people of Durham Region get around with reliable service and a more comfortable commute. I am happy to work with our federal and municipal partners to support greater investment in public transit."

Granville Anderson, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham

"Durham Region Transit aims to make life easy for our residents by providing frequent, direct, reliable and seamless transit. These are goals that we share with our federal and provincial partners. Dedicated funding allows municipalities to plan and grow our transit systems for the future, and we welcome today's investment of to enable the procurement of four additional conventional transit buses."

Roger Anderson, Durham Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Quick facts

• 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.
• $25.3 billion of this funding will support public transit projects, including $5 billion that will be available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
• Since 2004, the Government of Ontario has committed more than $3.7 billion to municipalities across the province through the provincial gas tax program. This funding supports municipal transit systems.
• The Government of Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges, and water and wastewater infrastructure in the province's history – more than $190 billion in public infrastructure over 13 years, starting in 2014–15. To learn more about what's happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.

Associated links

Government of Canada's $180-billion+ infrastructure plan in Budget 2017:
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/plan/chap-02-en.html#Toc477707375

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/on-eng.html  

The Public Transit Infrastructure Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/ptif-fitc-eng.php

Building Ontario - Infrastructure Plan: https://www.ontario.ca/page/building-ontario

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada