No. H003/06
For release February 20, 2006
HALIFAX, NS - Mayor Peter Kelly, along with federal, provincial and municipal
officials today launched phase II of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM)'s
limited stop direct MetroLink service to the Sackville area.
The introduction of phase II is a culmination of over two years of planning
after HRM was awarded funding through Transport Canada's Urban Transportation
Showcase Program, in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia and the
Halifax Regional Municipality. Metrolink is designed to attract new riders to
public transit and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Urban Transportation Showcase Program aims to demonstrate how communities
can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve other benefits such as cleaner
air and reduced congestion through integrated sustainable transportation
initiatives. Halifax is one of five cities across Canada under the program that
is leading by example and sharing its experiences with other communities to help
foster the implementation of similar approaches.
"The Government of Canada will continue to work with the provinces and
municipalities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through programs like the
Urban Transportation Showcase Program," said Lawrence Cannon, federal Minister
of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "Innovative projects such as
MetroLink provide Halifax and Canadians with sustainable transportation options
while helping achieve our goals of reducing GHG emissions."
HRM's MetroLink is a $13.3 million project, which includes the establishment of
two MetroLink corridors using transit signal priority and limited stops to
create competitive trip times. Twenty buses will be used to service both
Portland Hills and Sackville corridors, with 10-minute peak service.
The Province of Nova Scotia is a showcase partner along with HRM and Transport
Canada. The Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works
contributed $705,000, while the Nova Scotia Department of Energy provided
$80,000 to the showcase. Transport Canada contributed $4.1 million to the
project.
HRM contributed an additional $8.06 million towards the project, while TRAX,
a program of the Ecology Action Centre, is a public education partner in the
project.
At this morning's launch, Mayor Peter Kelly said "The introduction of phase II
of the MetroLink service to the Sackville area clearly demonstrates the success
of this new service to HRM. The municipality's transit system is a key component
of the proposed Regional Plan and the fact that we're already working towards
those improvements with projects like the MetroLink service is key to the plan's
success."
Phase I of the MetroLink service was launched in Portland Hills in August 2005
with unprecedented success.
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Contacts:
Robert Greenslade
Acting Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
(613) 990-6140
Robin Browne
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
(613) 993-0055
Rob MacLean
Executive Assistant to the Minister
NS Department of Energy
(902) 424-7063
John O'Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
Halifax Regional Municipality
(902) 490-6531
Lisette Cormier
Public Affairs Coordinator Project Manager
Metro Transit
(902) 490-6952
Geoff Wright, P. Eng.
Project Manager
Metro Transit
(902) 490-5138
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.
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