No H268/05
For release November 28, 2005
OTTAWA - Belinda Stronach, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal, on behalf of Transport Minister
Jean-C. Lapierre announced today that Transport Canada along with York Region
and other municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area will be studying
opportunities for integrating traffic management systems in the region.
"York Region is one of the fastest growing municipalities and so it is
critical that it has the necessary capacity to optimize traffic flow on the
regional road networks," said Minister Stronach. "We applaud York Region for
taking the lead in bringing together municipalities and the Province of Ontario
to do this study in partnership with Transport Canada."
"One of the key objectives of Canada's Intelligent Transportation Systems
Plan is to improve the mobility of the transportation network in urban areas,"
said Minister Lapierre. "Integrating the traffic management systems in the GTA
will go a long way to advance this objective."
The study will examine how the various traffic management systems in the
Greater Toronto region could be integrated to provide effective centre-to-centre
communications to improve traffic flows as well as developing a regional
traveller information system to provide commuters with information on traffic
conditions. The Government of Canada is prepared to contribute up to $250,000
per municipality to undertake this study.
Intelligent transportation systems consist of a broad range of technologies
designed to make transportation safer, more efficient and more environmentally
friendly.
Federal funding will be provided under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure
Program, a
$600-million program to improve highway infrastructure across Canada. Part of
this funding, $100 million, is earmarked for initiatives that better integrate
the country's transportation system. One of these is the intelligent
transportation systems initiative, which includes applications such as advanced
systems for traveller information, traffic management, public transport,
commercial vehicle operations, emergency response management and vehicle safety.
Funding for the study is dependent upon the signing of contribution agreements.
Funding for this program is provided for in the existing financial framework.
A backgrounder with further information on intelligent transportation systems
is attached.
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Contacts :
Mylène Dupéré
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Ottawa
(613) 991-0700
Robin Browne
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
(613) 993-0055
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 persons
with visual disabilities.
BACKGROUNDER
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
Intelligent transportation systems are a broad range of diverse
technologies used to make transportation systems safer, more efficient, more
reliable and more environmentally friendly, without necessarily having to
physically alter existing infrastructure. Since 1999, Transport Canada has been
promoting them aggressively and has provided more than $23 million in support of
intelligent transportation systems projects and research in Canada.
Intelligent transportation systems encompass new products and
information and communications technologies for the development, operation and
management of the transportation system. They include applications such as
advanced systems for traveller information, traffic management, public
transport, commercial vehicle operations, emergency response management and
vehicle safety. They all have in common the integrated application of advanced
technologies including information processing, communications, and sensing and
control.
The Government of Canada's Intelligent Transportation Systems
Plan for Canada: En Route to Intelligent Mobility (1999) sets out the strategy
for stimulating the development and deployment of intelligent transportation
systems across urban and rural Canada. The goals are to maximize the use and
efficiency of existing infrastructure and meet future mobility needs more
responsibly. The Intelligent Transportation Systems Plan provides leadership and
support to advance the application and compatibility of intelligent
transportation systems technologies and to increase the safety, integration,
efficiency and sustainability of Canada's transportation system.
Federal funding is provided under the Strategic Highway
Infrastructure Program, a $600-million program to improve highway infrastructure
across Canada. Announced in April 2001, the program has two components, a
$500-million highway construction component and a $100-million national system
integration component, of which $30 million is designated to fund intelligent
transportation system initiatives.
For further information, please visit the intelligent
transportation systems website at www.its-sti.gc.ca.
November 2005
