Funding of $126.2 million for 11 projects that will modernize and improve public transit and active transportation in Durham Region, were announced in Oshawa yesterday.
Projects include the replacement of 11 conventional buses with new hybrid electric vehicles. An additional 13 conventional buses and 16 mini buses to replace aging vehicles that have reached the end of their lifecycle, helping to reduce Durham Region Transit’s maintenance and operating costs while lowering the fleet’s impact on the environment.
The purchase of two additional articulated buses for the bus rapid transit fleet will increase the capacity of the region’s transit system along the bus rapid transit corridor, said a media statement.
Public transit users in Ajax, Whitby, and Oshawa will benefit from the construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes with active transportation corridors. Cycling lanes and multi-use paths will connect to the transit stations along the three corridors, providing residents with more options for accessing the transit system, it said.
Together, these investments will encourage residents to choose public transit by providing them with more frequent, accessible and reliable bus service.
The Government of Canada is investing more than $45.3 million in these projects through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS) of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Ontario is providing more than $37.7 million, and the municipality is contributing more than $43.2 million.
“The $83 million in joint-funding announced by the federal and provincial governments, in partnership with our own municipal investment of $43.2 million, will be vital to modernizing and improving our Durham Region Transit (DRT) operations,” said John Henry, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Durham.
“The hybrid buses that are part of this funding are yet another crucial step towards DRT’s commitment to zero-emission transit vehicles over the next decade. Through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program together with the Federal Gas Tax Fund in 2019 we are taking the first step in transitioning our fleet through the acquisition of our first hybrid electric and battery powered electric buses and charging infrastructure. It’s major investments and partnerships such as these that are crucial to ensuring Durham Region can continue to deliver the excellent public service that we are known for,” he added.
Quick Facts
- Through the Investing in Canada 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.
- Ontario is investing $10.2 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green, and rural and northern community infrastructure.
- The Government of Canada has invested more than $7.9 billion in over 2,600 infrastructure projects across Ontario under the Investing in Canada plan.
- Across the province, Ontario is investing more than $7.3 billion in public transit infrastructure over 10 years through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
- To support Canadians and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.
- The Covid-19 Resilience Stream will help other orders of governments whose finances have been significantly impacted by the pandemic by increasing the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects.
- The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will provide up to $31 million in existing federal funding to support communities as they deploy innovative new ways to adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from Covid-19 over the next two years.
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