Investing in greener public transit infrastructure in Halifax

HALIFAX, NS, July 15, 2021 /CNW/ - Public transit is at the heart of an inclusive recovery, and we must prioritize measures that will build the public transit systems Canada needs now, and in the future. Investing in public transit supports Canadians through the pandemic, positions Canada for recovery by creating good jobs and supporting Canadian companies, and transforms our society for a cleaner, better future.

That is why, together, the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia are taking decisive action to help families, businesses and communities as they adapt to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for South Shore?St. Margarets, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Iain Rankin, Premier of Nova Scotia; and His Worship Mike Savage, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, announced a combined $112 million investment to expand the Ragged Lake Transit Centre and start the electrification the Halifax transit fleet.  Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Member of Parliament for Halifax, was also in attendance.

The project involves purchasing 60 electric buses with battery packs, the first in Atlantic Canada, and the associated charging equipment in addition to expanding the Ragged Lake Transit Centre to accommodate the new fleet. The facility will also undergo a deep energy retrofit to achieve a net-zero standard. The addition of renewable solar energy and storage capacity will help make the transit system more resilient.

This investment supports federal, provincial and municipal targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for a greener future. It also supports the city's Transforming Transit strategy to create a more convenient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible transit system for all residents.

The Government of Canada is investing $44.8 million in this project through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS) of the Investing in Canada program. The Government of Nova Scotia is providing more than $37.3 million, and Halifax Regional Municipality is contributing $29.8 million.

Quotes

"Good public transit creates healthier communities, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and fights climate change. Our investments in electric buses and a net-zero Ragged Lake Transit Centre will help accomplish that, while providing Halifax residents with safe and reliable service. Through Canada's infrastructure plan, we'll continue to create good jobs and build better, greener communities in Nova Scotia and all across Canada."

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for South Shore?St. Margarets, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"We continue to aggressively pursue action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Expanding Halifax Transit's fleet to include new electric buses will not only improve the capacity of public transit, but it will help us achieve our ambitious climate change goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. It puts us at the forefront of transit electrification in Atlantic Canada."

The Honourable Iain Rankin, Premier of Nova Scotia

"The electrification of the Halifax Transit fleet is vital to our commitments to climate action. Today's investment brings us much closer to the modernization of a public transit service that will reliably and sustainably meet the needs of a growing community and make taking transit a better choice for more people."

His Worship Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality

"This project represents a huge step forward in propelling our transit system towards a greener future. It signifies a major investment in electric transit buses which will reduce operating costs as well as help the environment."

Bill Cutler, Director, Transit Fleet, Halifax Transit

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.
• Since 2015, the government has spent over $13 billion in more than 1,300 public transit projects across Canada. These investments have helped build more than 240 km of new public transit subway and light rail line, purchase over 300 electric buses, and create almost 500 km of active transportation trails, bike and pedestrian lanes and recreational paths.
• Through the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is already investing $28.7 billion to support public transit projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
• On February 10, 2021 the Government of Canada announced a plan for $14.9 billion in new public transit funding over eight years, including $2.5 billion over 5 years starting this year as well as a portion of the $3 billion in ongoing annual transit funding beginning in 2026-27 to expand transit systems in large urban centres by enabling key, high-readiness major transit projects to advance. It will do this by supporting transit projects entering the construction phase in the near-future, and also helping to plan major transit projects that will be constructed down the road.
• Across Canada, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the Government of Canada has contributed $9.7 billion to 3,500 infrastructure projects.
• Across Nova Scotia, the Government of Canada has invested over $928 million in more than 289 infrastructure projects since 2015.

Associated links

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Federal infrastructure investments on Nova Scotia:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ns-eng.html

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html 

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada