No. H 024/07
For release February 15, 2007
GATINEAU, Quebec -- The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities and Minister responsible for Quebec, and Mr Michel Després, Quebec Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the
National Capital Region, are pleased to announce that their governments have
committed to contributing $16.5 million to innovative public transit initiatives
as part of the Urban Transportation Showcase Program (UTSP) in Gatineau,
Montreal and Quebec City.
These contributions will help put electric buses into service in Old Quebec,
and in Gatineau, implement various measures designed to make public transit more
attractive and user-friendly in a corridor that will accommodate a combination
of regular buses and hybrid diesel-electric buses. In Montreal, the Société de
transport de Montréal is also planning to put hybrid buses into service.
"Canada's New Government is proud to be working with all levels of government
and transit authorities to encourage Canadians to incorporate public transit
into their lifestyle. This will be a legacy for future generations," said
Minister Cannon. " Today's announcement is a step towards making public transit
more energy-efficient and more attractive to riders."
"These projects are perfectly in line with the objectives of Quebec's Public Transit Policy, to which we have introduced an innovative component, and the
Climate Change Policy, which were tabled in June 2006,"
said Mr. Després. "The
Public Transit Policy sets out the objective to increase public transit ridership by 8 per cent by 2012, and we are certain that we will meet this objective. I
am also very pleased that one of these exceptionally innovative projects will be
implemented in the National Capital Region."
"Once again, Québec is demonstrating its avant-gardism in the area of new
technology,"
added the Honourable Josée Verner, federal Minister responsible for
the Québec region. "This initiative highlights the importance of environmental
issues to the people of Québec, and shows our Government's commitment to
implement solutions that will improve air quality and protect our environment."
For Benoît Pelletier, Minister responsible for the Outaouais Region and MP
for Chapleau, this announcement is yet another sign of the importance of the
environment issue in the region. "The announcement of the hybrid bus in our
city, and the Urban Transportation Showcase Program for all of Quebec and Canada
emphasizes the importance of the environment on our daily lives. Residents of
the Outaouais Region will have access to efficient, environmentally sound urban
transportation services."
In Gatineau and Montreal, the total cost of the projects is estimated at
$19.7 million. The partners will contribute the following amounts:
$6.4 million from the Quebec government;
up to $4 million from the federal government;
$2.2 million from the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO);
$3.2 million from the Société de transport de Montréal (STM); and
$3.9 million from the Société de financement des infrastructures
locales, which is co-funded by the Governments of Canada and Quebec.
In Quebec City, the total cost of the project is estimated at $12.2 million.
The partners will contribute the following amounts:
$4.1 million over two years from the Quebec government;
up to $2 million from the federal government; and
$6.1 million from Quebec City.
Funding for these pilot projects is contingent on the signing of contribution
agreements.
UTSP funds community showcase programs that highlight and assess ways of
reducing transportation-related greenhouse gases. The program was developed
following consultations with provincial, territorial and municipal partners,
among others. Following a Request for Qualification issued across the country,
eight municipalities were selected to present their strategies for facing these
urban challenges.
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Sources:
Natalie Sarafian
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Josée Delisle
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport Québec
and Minister responsible for the National Capital Region
Tel.: 418-643-6980Vincent Lamontagne
Regional Communications Officer for Minister Benoît Pelletier
Tel.: 819-246-4558
819 639-1938 (cellular phone)
Contacts:
Gatineau
Michel Marcotte
Transport Québec
Tel.: 819-772-3107, ext. 236
819-665-9980 (cellular phone)
Quebec City
Jean-François Racine
Transport Québec
Tel.: 418-528-9680
Robin Browne
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
Tel.: 613-993-0055
François-Nicolas Asselin
Communications
Transport Canada, Dorval
Tel.: 514-633-2741
Renée Lafrenière
Société de transport de l'Outaouais
Tel.: 819-770-7900, ext. 6914
Jacques Perron
Communications Unit
Quebec City
Tel.: 418-641-6210
Isabelle A. Tremblay
Public Affairs
Société de transport de Montréal
514-280-4940
Carole Brousseau
Communications Advisor
Réseau de transport de la Capitale
Tel.: 418-627-2351, ext. 5143
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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