No. H140/03 For release November 26, 2003TRANSPORT MINISTER ANNOUNCESSUCCESSFUL PROJECTS OFURBAN TRANSPORTATION SHOWCASE PROGRAM OTTAWA - Transport Minister David Collenette today announced funding of up to $35 million for eight municipalities under Transport Canada's Urban Transportation Showcase Program. The municipalities will use the funding to implement projects designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in their cities and contribute to cleaner air and reduced congestion. The finalists were chosen by a selection committee of experts in sustainable transportation which reviewed 15 proposals from municipalities across Canada. The successful municipalities are: Gatineau, the Greater Vancouver Regional District, Halifax, Montreal, Greater Toronto/Hamilton, Waterloo, Whitehorse and Winnipeg. "These proposals, when implemented, will help the Government of Canada fulfill its Kyoto Protocol climate change commitments by reducing greenhouse gases," said Mr. Collenette. "They propose a variety of solutions that will add to the efficiency of transport systems in these cities. The proposals offer innovative and integrated approaches to transportation challenges, and bring together regional partnerships in working towards sustainable transportation." The Urban Transportation Showcase Program, with a budget of $40 million over five years, is designed to promote alternative strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in municipalities. The program is part of the Government of Canada's Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change. Transport Canada will provide one-third of eligible project costs. The showcases seek to bring together technology, urban design, infrastructure and social marketing to enhance transportation efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Information from the showcases and other sustainable transportation best practices will be shared with cities across Canada through a national information network. Funding for this program was provided for in the December 2001 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing financial framework. Backgrounders on the Urban Transportation Showcase Program, and the selected proposals are attached. - 30 - Contact: Amy Butcher, Director of Communications Office of the Minister, Ottawa (613) 991-0700 Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for personswith visual disabilities. BACKGROUNDERURBAN TRANSPORTATION SHOWCASE PROGRAM The Urban Transportation Showcase Program is a key component of the Government of Canada's Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change. The $40 million program calls for the creation of community showcase programs to demonstrate and evaluate ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and to address other urban challenges, such as air quality, congestion, safety and rising operating costs. The program was developed in consultation with provincial, territorial, municipal and other partners in response to the 1999 Transportation Climate Change Table Report. The report identified a need for Canada to develop better planning and practices for transportation and land use. Eight municipalities have been selected to showcase their strategies for dealing with these urban challenges in a two-stage, nation-wide competitive process. Under the program, the showcase proposals could include: transportation services, infrastructure investments, demand management initiatives, land use strategies, pricing strategies, public outreach and advanced technologies. An independent selection committee, comprising seven members, was announced by the Transport Minister in July 2002 to review the expressions of interest submitted by municipalities. The members were chosen based on their expertise in the transportation sector. In December 2002, Minister Collenette announced the 15 municipalities selected for the second phase of the program. These municipalities were provided up to $30,000 in funding and given four months to develop and submit their detailed project proposals. The committee reviewed these 15 submissions and recommended to the Minister proposals from eight municipalities across Canada for implementation. Public education and outreach is an important component of the program, and will include seminars, workshops and regular reports on the implementation and results of the showcases. This approach lays the foundation for communities to adopt best technologies and strategies across Canada by 2010. The Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change, which commits $500 million in funding over five years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is expected to take Canada about one-quarter of the way to the greenhouse gas reduction target set by the Kyoto Protocol. Detailed program information is available on Transport Canada's Web site at www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/utsp/menu.htm November 2003 BACKGROUNDERMUNICIPALITIES SELECTED Eight finalists have been chosen to receive funding under the Urban Transportation Showcase Program to implement the detailed project proposals submitted. Below is a list of the successful municipalities and a short description of the successful proposals. Gatineau-The Urban Transportation Showcase Program of the Société de transport de l'Outaouais This project, proposed in collaboration with partner Société de transport de Montréal, emphasizes park-and-ride, as well as more reserved bus lanes, as a means of improving the competitiveness of public transit. This proposal also includes the use of hybrid diesel-electric bus technology. This project is eligible for up to $8.8 million in funding from Transport Canada. The Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton-Smart Commute Initiative The proposal of the municipalities of the Greater Toronto Area and the City of Hamilton involves a network of transportation management associations to promote demand management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The network will aim to encourage maximum car occupancy at peak periods, and use less congested routes and travel times. This proposal is eligible for up to $2.5 million in funding from Transport Canada. The Greater Vancouver Regional District-Sustainable Region Showcase for Greater Vancouver The Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority and the Greater Vancouver Regional District proposes an innovative, broadly based combination of programs involving development of land use patterns that support greater transit use and the application of a variety of transportation demand measures, including a universal transit pass and main street transit priority corridors. This proposal is eligible for up to $8.8 million in funding from Transport Canada. Halifax-Innovation towards integrated bus rapid transit This municipality proposes to implement two bus rapid transit corridors, which would not require major investments in new transit infrastructure. The proposal will also implement new on-road and off-road bicycle routes that link stations to existing networks and nearby destinations. This proposal is eligible for up to $4.1 million in funding from Transport Canada. Montreal-Branché-self service electric car and bicycle project in the metropolitan region of Montreal The Agence métropolitaine de transport proposes the use of a fleet of electric vehicles and bicycles based in downtown Montreal and at selected suburban commuter rail stations, intended for trips in areas that cannot be well served by conventional public transit. This proposal is eligible for up to $2.5 million in funding from Transport Canada. Waterloo-Central transit corridor express project The Region of Waterloo proposes linking three communities with cycle-friendly, express bus service along a clearly defined corridor, incorporating information technology to provide real-time transit information and web-based trip planning opportunities. This proposal is eligible for up to $3 million in funding from Transport Canada. Whitehorse-The Whitehorse driving diet The City of Whitehorse proposes three major projects. One project will reduce the number of road lanes to improve safety and continuity of walking and cycling routes, while another aims to improve three existing trails between downtown and residential areas by adding new connections, river crossings, lighting and stairs at steep grades. In addition, one roundabout will be added to a major intersection to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety. This proposal is eligible for up to $700,000 in funding from Transport Canada. Winnipeg-The Winsmart showcase The City of Winnipeg, the Province of Manitoba and partners propose 20 initiatives which focus on building and testing prototypes for eco-bus and eco-fuel, more efficient use of cars and trucks, policy development through research, and making transit, cycling and walking more attractive to commuters. This proposal is eligible for up to $4.6 million in funding from Transport Canada. November 2003
