Backgrounder: Federal and territorial governments invest in expansion to transit fleet in Whitehorse
Backgrounder
The federal government is investing $5,894,443 through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to support three public transit projects in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Project Information:
Location |
Project Name |
Project Details |
Federal Funding |
Territorial Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Municipality of Whitehorse |
Whitehorse Transit: Additional Transit Buses 2024 |
This 2024 project involves the addition of two 40-foot fully accessible buses to the City’s existing fleet to complement the reserve fleet and meet the needs of a growing city with expanding transit service. The reserve fleet serves multiple functions, such as vehicle substitution during regular maintenance, emergency situations such as accidents or unexpected breakdowns, driver training and the flexibility to modify transit service provided on relatively short notice. Additional buses will maintain the capacity of the public transit infrastructure by ensuring service levels are maintained, providing flexibility to modify and modernize routes and ensuring routine and unexpected maintenance can be accommodated to maximize the service life of the fleet. The City of Whitehorse’s Transit Services fleet currently consists of 15 low-floor, fully accessible 40-foot buses. The age of the fleet ranges from 2008 to the most recent buses acquired in 2023. |
$1,125,000 |
$375,000 |
Municipality of Whitehorse |
Whitehorse Transit: Additional Transit Buses 2025 |
This 2025 project supplements the 2024 project and involves the addition of three 40-foot fully accessible buses to the City of Whitehorse’s existing fleet to complement the reserve fleet. |
$1,687,000 |
$563,000 |
Municipality of Whitehorse |
Whitehorse Transit: Additional Transit Buses 2026 and 2027 |
The City of Whitehorse will acquire five 40-foot, fully accessible buses in 2026 and 2027. Three new buses will be added in 2026 to improve service during peak transit hours, enabling the system to better meet high demand by increasing frequency and reliability. Route coverage will also be expanded to ensure consistent and timely service during busy transit periods. The two buses planned for 2026 or 2027 will replace existing units that are nearing end of life, which will ensure fleet reliability and continued service quality as the City and ridership grows. |
$3,082,443 |
$1,027,481 |