Come on board with improvements to transit in Sault Ste. Marie

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON, March 8, 2024 /CNW/ - The City of Sault Ste. Marie will soon receive upgrades to its municipal transit after a combined investment of almost $7.8 million from the federal government, the provincial government, and City of Sault Ste. Marie.

This was announced by Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, Ross Romano, Member of Provincial Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, and His Worship Matthew Shoemaker, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie. 

The project will bring the fleet new electric buses and a charging station, diesel buses, paratransit buses, and passenger vans resulting in vehicles on the road that produce less air pollution, use less fuel, and have lower maintenance costs compared to their existing vehicles. The new buses will also give riders with mobility needs greater independence and help them easily connect to community services. The City will also upgrade its maintenance equipment and service vehicles.

"This is great news for Sault Ste. Marie. Investing in public transit infrastructure is fundamental to economic growth, reducing air pollution, and creating inclusive communities, where everyone has access to public services and employment opportunities."

Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is building a cleaner and more accessible public transit network across the province. We're investing historic amounts in municipal transit, including right here in Sault Ste. Marie, to deliver safer, more reliable transit options that connect people to things that matter most to them."

Ross Romano, Member of Provincial Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario's Minister of Transportation

"Transit is one of the most important municipal services, and financial assistance from our government partners will help the City implement badly needed upgrades that will ensure we can better support the movement of people throughout Sault Ste. Marie ? whether it be to and from work, appointments, essential or recreational services."

His Worship Matthew Shoemaker, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie

• The federal government is investing $3,104,040 through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS) of ICIP to support 3 public transit projects across Sault Ste. Marie. The Government of Ontario is contributing $2,586,442, and the City of Sault Ste. Marie is contributing $2,090,173.
• PTIS stream supports the building, expansion, and upgrading of urban and rural transit networks.
• Including today's announcement, over 260 infrastructure projects or project bundles under the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream have been announced in Ontario, with a total federal contribution of nearly $5.5 billion.
• The federal government is investing $14.9 billion over the next eight years in reliable, fast, affordable, and clean public transit. This funding includes $3 billion per year in predictable federal public transit funding which will be available to support transit in Canada beginning in 2026-27.
• The Ontario government is investing historic amounts in municipalities to expand public transit ? including $7.3 billion in provincial funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to fund the construction, expansion and improvement of public transit networks.
• Since 2015, the federal government has announced an unprecedented investment of over $30 billion in thousands of transit projects in communities across the country.
• Under the Investing in Canada Plan, the federal government 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.
• Infrastructure Canada helps address complex challenges that Canadians face every day?ranging from the rapid growth of our cities, to climate change, to environmental threats to our water and land.

Backgrounder: Come on board with improvements to transit in Sault Ste. Marie

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

Public Transit Infrastructure Stream
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/pti-itc-eng.html 

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-on-eng.html 

Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html 

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada