Federal government invests in public transit projects across rural Saskatchewan

MUSKOWEKWAN FIRST NATION, SK, April 10, 2024 /CNW/ - Rural communities across Saskatchewan will soon establish or expand their public transit offerings after a federal investment of $6.1 million.

Announced by Minister Sean Fraser, these 11 projects will help residents get around easily and conveniently.

Investing in public transit infrastructure is fundamental to economic growth, reducing air pollution, and creating more inclusive communities, where everyone has access to the same opportunities. Many of the communities will benefit from public transit for the first time, while others will be expanding their networks or adding accessible buses to their fleets.

The Muskowekwan First Nation will purchase a 45-passenger passenger bus and two smaller vehicles, including one which will be wheelchair accessible. They will also build a new garage to house them.
The Rural Transit Solutions Fund will support the Montreal Lake Cree Nation in purchasing a bus and a wheelchair accessible van.

Additional communities across rural Saskatchewan, including Humboldt, Gravelbourg, and Kamsack, will also benefit from investments in their public transit systems.

"Public transit should be available to everyone, no matter where they live. We are committed to, and will continue, supporting such projects in Saskatchewan and across the country that ensure everyone has equal access to services and opportunities.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"Muskowekan First Nation sincerely appreciates the Government of Canada for improving the residents' quality of life, Morris Interactive for their professional input, and those who had a vision and made it a reality."

Muskowekwan Chief and Council

"On behalf of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Michael Pirot from the Morris Interactive for all the assistance and patience. Thanks to Canada for putting this grant for the First Nations to apply. Thank you all."

Joyce McLeod, Chief of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation

"On behalf of Muskowekwan First Nation and Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Morris Interactive consulting firm would like to extend our appreciation to Infrastructure Canada for providing this vital funding to our First Nation partners. I recognized the immense need that the Rural Transit Solution Fund would answer at the community level.  The application was presented to Chief Jamie Wolfe of Muskowekwan First Nation and Chief Joyce Naytowhow McLeod of Montreal Lake Cree Nation, both First Nations consulted with their communities which resulted in a plan to address the most dire transit needs of each community.  Now because of the RTSF each First Nation will have reliable mass transportation, access to food security, employment and education opportunities."

Michael Pirot, Program Developer with Morris Interactive

• The federal government is investing $6,184,137 in these projects through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF), and the recipients are contributing a total of $173,528.
• 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.
• A minimum of 10% of RTSF's funding is allocated to projects that benefit Indigenous populations and communities.
• Applications to the RTSF's Planning and Design Projects stream are accepted on a continuous basis. 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. The RTSF's Capital Project stream closed on February 28, 2024.
• 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 permanent federal funding for public transit in support of making clean and affordable transportation available in every community.
• Since 2015, the federal government has announced an unprecedented investment of over $30 billion in thousands of transit projects in communities across the country.
• On December 18, 2023, the federal government launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which highlights the need for a collaborative, region-specific approach to sustainability, focusing on strengthening the coordination of federal programs, and initiatives with significant investments. This Framework is a first step in a journey that will bring together multiple stakeholders. PrairiesCan, the federal department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian prairies, has dedicated $100 million over three years to support projects aligned with priority areas identified by Prairie stakeholders to build a stronger, more sustainable, and inclusive economy for the Prairie provinces and Canada.
• Infrastructure Canada is supporting the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy to encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities, leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the Prairies that better meet their needs.
• The funding announced today helps respond to Call for Justice 4.8 from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. It calls upon all governments to ensure that adequate plans and funding are put into place for safe and affordable transit and transportation services and infrastructure for Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people living in remote or rural communities.

Backgrounder: Federal government invests in public transit projects across rural Saskatchewan

Rural Transit Solutions Fund
https://www.infrastructure.gc.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 

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

Building a Green Prairie Economy Act
https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/B-9.88/page-1.html

Building a Green Prairie Economy
https://www.canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development/programs/green-prairie-economy.html 

Missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1590523702000/1590523850562 

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada