No. H004/05For release - January 12, 2005
OTTAWA — The Honourable Ann McLennan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Minister Responsible for Alberta, on behalf of Transport Minister Jean C. Lapierre, today announced funding of $800,000 for four projects aimed at making transportation in Alberta safer, more efficient and more reliable using innovative technology.
The projects, ranging from a traveller information system to a traffic signal control system, will receive funding under Transport Canada's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Plan.
"Innovation is essential to Canada's growth and competitiveness," said Ms. McLellan. "The ITS plan is an investment in Canadians' skills and innovation and challenges them to help make our transportation system safer, more efficient and more sustainable."
A total of $5 million will be awarded to 25 projects across Canada.
"The funds devoted to these projects reaffirm the Government of Canada's commitment to accelerating the development and adoption of technologies designed specifically to enhance the transportation system, " said Mr. Lapierre. "These innovations promote safety and security, relieve congestion, improve mobility and minimize the negative environmental impacts related to transportation."
ITS is a new and rapidly developing field, where information processing, communication systems and sensing devices are combined and integrated in creative ways to make the transportation system work more effectively. Centralized traffic management, transit smart cards and electronic tolling are examples of ITS in action.
This initiative supports key departmental objectives designed to promote the adoption of ITS technologies to advance the safety, efficiency and security of our transportation system.
The Government of Canada's $600 million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) dedicates $100 million to funding initiatives that better integrate the transportation system.
Since 1999, Transport Canada has provided more than $18 million in support of ITS projects and research in Canada. The maximum contribution from Transport Canada for each ITS project is $250,000.
For more information about Transport Canada's role in Intelligent Transportation Systems, please visit the ITS website at www.its-sti.gc.ca.
A backgrounder outlining the winning projects is attached.
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Contacts:
Irène MarcheterreDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of Transport, Ottawa(613) 991-0700
Alex SwannOffice of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ottawa(613) 952-4900
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BACKGROUNDER
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS PROJECTS
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) comprise a broad range of diverse technologies applied to transportation to make systems safer, more efficient, more reliable and more environmentally friendly. Transport Canada has been actively promoting them, providing more than $18 million in support of ITS projects and research in Canada since 1999.
The field of Intelligent Transportation Systems encompasses new products, information and communications technologies for the development, operation and regulation of the transportation system. They include applications such as advanced systems for traffic management, traveller information and vehicle control, commercial vehicle and fleet management, and public transit and rural transportation. They all have in common the application of advanced technologies in such areas as information processing, communications, and sensing and control - technologies that offer the potential to revolutionize the transportation system.
The following projects have been selected:City of EdmontonDeploy and integrate Intelligent Transportation Systems at Capilano Bridge to implement a full traffic management and traveller information system.Partners: IBI Group, EPCOR UtilitiesFunding awarded: $250,000Total cost of proposal: $829,000
IBI GroupDeploy a web-based interprovincial, inter-agency advanced traveller information system.Partners: Parks Canada, Alberta Transportation, Alberta Motor Association, British Columbia Ministry of TransportationFunding awarded: $100,000Total cost of proposal: $450,000
City of EdmontonUndertake an Intelligent Transportation Systems blueprint strategy and partially deploy an integrated transit signal priority and traffic signal control system.Partners: LEA Consulting, EPCOR UtilitiesFunding awarded: $250,000Total cost of proposal: $575,000
City of CalgaryDesign and implement a dedicated Intelligent Transportation Systems telecommunication network, linking the various components of ITS systems.Partners: noneFunding awarded: $250,000Total cost of proposal: $1,346,301
For further information, please visit the Intelligent Transportation Systems website at www.its-sti.gc.ca.
January 2005
