No. H 046/08
For release - February 20, 2008
MISSISSAUGA — The Mississauga bus rapid transit (BRT) project continued to move forward today with the official signing of contribution agreements between the Government of Canada, the City of Mississauga, GO Transit and the Province of Ontario.
The agreements were signed at the Mississauga Transit garage by the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Greater Toronto Area, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Jim Bradley, Ontario Minister of Transportation; Her Worship Hazel McCallion, Mayor of Mississauga; and Peter Smith, Chairman of GO Transit.
"The agreements signed today demonstrate our government's unwavering commitment to the people of Mississauga by providing them with a new transit option," said Minister Flaherty. "Our long-term transportation action plan, FLOW, will reduce traffic congestion and improve efficiency while reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)."
"Today brings us another step closer to delivering rapid transit across the region," said Minister Bradley. "The Mississauga BRT will provide better public transit service, combat congestion and provide more frequent and accessible service for commuters."
"The signing of this agreement represents a key milestone in the development of Mississauga's rapid transit program," said Mayor McCallion. "The Mississauga bus rapid transit project will help people move through Mississauga quickly, efficiently and safely by getting people out of their cars and onto public transit."
"These investments are a great example of co-operation by all levels of government," said Mr. Smith. "GO will keep working with Mississauga to reduce traffic congestion and give people a fast and convenient way to go by transit."
"Public transit is a priority for the Government of Canada," said Minister Cannon. "Projects such as this rapid transit system will also help increase economic growth and improve the quality of life of residents in one of the fastest growing areas in Canada."
FLOW is an initiative of the Government of Canada designed to reduce traffic congestion, improve the environment and strengthen the economy in the GTA. FLOW will help create a seamless transportation system across the GTA — keeping people, traffic and goods FLOWing in the largest metropolitan area in Canada.
Other transit projects included in the FLOW action plan are the construction of a bus rapid transit system along Brampton's key transportation corridors; the extension of the Spadina subway line to Vaughan Corporate Centre; the enhancement of the York VIVA rapid transit system; and funding for the development of a long-term transit strategy in the Regional Municipality of Durham.
The federal contribution of $83 million to the City of Mississauga and GO Transit for the bus rapid transit project comes from the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, which supports large-scale strategic infrastructure projects that improve quality of life and further economic growth.
As federal funding is reimbursement-based, funds will be transferred once the agreement is signed, eligible costs have been incurred and all federal requirements have been satisfied.
The Province of Ontario's contribution of $113 million includes $65 million to Mississauga, disbursed in 2006 to support this project and an additional $48 million to GO Transit for its portion of the project.
The City of Mississauga and GO Transit will be responsible for the remainder of the project costs. Construction of the project is expected to be complete by 2012.
A backgrounder with further information on the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, FLOW, the City of Mississauga and the Province of Ontario is attached.
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Contacts:
Karine White
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Nicole Lippa-Gasparro
Press Secretary
Office of the Ontario Minister of Transportation, Toronto
416-327-1815
Media Relations
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Bob Nichols
Communications Branch
Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Toronto
416-327-1158
Ivana Di Millo
Director, Communications
City of Mississauga
905-615-3200, ext. 5047
Edmund Shea
GO Transit
416-869-3600, ext. 5328
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at www.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
CANADA STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE FUND
The federal funding for this project is allocated from the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF). Through the fund, the Government of Canada works with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as with the private sector, to meet strategic infrastructure needs throughout the country. CSIF supports large-scale strategic infrastructure projects that improve quality of life and further economic growth.
FLOW
FLOW, the Government of Canada's transportation action plan for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), is designed to reduce congestion, cut commute times, help clear the air and drive the economy in the GTA.
It consists of key transportation infrastructure projects that are being funded and built in the short to medium term. In most cases, the projects are being cost-shared by the three levels of government — federal, provincial and municipal.
The projects were selected following consultations with the Province of Ontario, mayors in the GTA, regional chairs, municipal councillors and various community groups.
This plan was developed to help enhance the quality of life for residents and help businesses increase efficiency by keeping people, traffic and goods FLOWing in the largest metropolitan area in Canada.
Federal funding is contingent on the completion of a due diligence review, the negotiation and signing of a contribution agreement and completion of any applicable federal environmental assessments required under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
The FLOW transit infrastructure projects include the following:
Brampton AcceleRide
This project involves the construction of a bus rapid transit system along Brampton's key transportation corridors to link the downtown to the north and west areas of the city, as well as to improve connections with the City of Mississauga, the Regional Municipality of York and the City of Toronto.
The Government of Canada has committed up to $95 million, while the Province of Ontario has already provided $95 million. The City of Brampton will be responsible for the remainder of the project costs.
The project will be constructed in two phases; the first is expected to be complete by 2010, with ultimate completion anticipated in 2021.
Mississauga Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
The project involves the construction of an east-west busway across the City of Mississauga between Winston Churchill Boulevard and Renforth Drive. This project will improve local and inter-regional bus operations across the City of Mississauga. A total of 11 stations will be constructed along the route, with one existing station being incorporated into the busway.
The Government of Canada has committed up to $83 million to the project. The Province of Ontario has provided the City of Mississauga with $65 million to support the project and has committed to providing an additional $48 million to GO Transit. The City of Mississauga and GO Transit will be responsible for the remainder of the project costs.
The project is expected to be complete by 2012.
Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension
The existing Spadina subway line will be extended by 8.6 kilometres through York University to the Vaughan Corporate Centre.
The Government of Canada is committing up to $697 million towards the eligible project costs. The Province of Ontario has already contributed $870 million to a trust for this project. The City of Toronto and Regional Municipality of York previously committed their contributions and will be responsible for the remainder of the project costs.
Federal funding commitments to this project are contingent upon the completion of a due diligence review, the negotiation of a contribution agreement and the proponent's adherence to conditions put forth by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
In addition to funding from all three levels of government, the City of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York will also be exploring opportunities for alternative financing and procurement, such as public-private partnerships.
The project is expected to be complete by 2015.
York Region VIVA Phase 2, Part 1
The VIVA rapid transit system will be enhanced through the construction of dedicated bus rapid
transit systems along Yonge Street, from the Finch subway station to the Richmond Hill Centre, and along Highway 7, from the Markham Centre to Yonge Street.
The Government of Canada is committing up to $85 million towards eligible project costs. The Province of Ontario has also committed $85 million to this project.
The project is expected to be complete by 2010.
Durham Region Long-Term Transit Strategy
Funding will be provided to the Regional Municipality of Durham to help it further refine its transit service strategy and bus rapid transit implementation plans. This will include demonstrating how best to support anticipated urban growth, assess transit options and their integration with other services, develop detailed ridership projections and conduct cost-benefit analyses.
The Government of Canada is committing up to $2.5 million and the Province of Ontario is also committing up to $2.5 million.
The development of this strategy is expected to start this year.
Other Projects
FLOW also includes three highway projects for which the Province of Ontario will determine the appropriate financing and delivery.
Those projects include:
the extension of Highway 407 east to Highway 35/115;
the widening of Highway 7 in Durham Region; and
the extension of Highway 404.
THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA
Mississauga is Canada's sixth-largest city with a population of more than 700,000. With well-established infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities, the city is considered to be an employer of choice, delivering quality municipal programs and services to its citizens. Mississauga is a dynamic, diverse and progressive municipality known for its economic strength and for being Canada's safest city.
The Mississauga BRT project will see the creation of a new busway and 11 stations along the route, with one existing station being incorporated into the busway, which will connect Winston Churchill Boulevard in the west to Renforth Drive in the east. The busway will run along the Highway 402, Eastgate Parkway and Eglinton Avenue corridors. The Mississauga BRT project forms part of a planned Greater Toronto Area-wide (GTA-wide) initiative to create a 100-km busway connecting municipalities from Oakville to Pickering.
The Mississauga BRT project will complement and connect with local bus services and interregional transit and subway systems, linking high-density development and employment centres across Mississauga. Upon its implementation in 2012, the Mississauga BRT project will support extensive bus service for thousands of riders per day, making it faster and easier to travel to, from and through Mississauga and the GTA.
THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO
The Ontario government is tackling gridlock to build a strong and prosperous economy by getting people onto public transit with record investments and innovation.
MoveOntario 2020
MoveOntario 2020, the Province of Ontario's $17.5 billion rapid transit plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, will double the kilometers of new and improved rapid transit, starting in 2008. MoveOntario 2020 investments will create hundreds of jobs and remove 300 million car trips from Ontario roads.
In addition to record investments in public transit, the Ontario government will invest $1.6 billion in GO Transit by 2010, including $530 million to its capital and operating costs in 2007-2008.
Metrolinx
Metrolinx (the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority), an agency created by the Province of Ontario, will deliver a regional transportation plan to fundamentally improve our quality of life in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Metrolinx is responsible for prioritizing and implementing MoveOntario 2020. With a real focus on public transit, people and businesses will be able to move more easily across the GTHA, making cities more liveable and the economy stronger, while protecting the environment. Metrolinx is also developing a transportation investment strategy and rolling five-year capital plan for the GTHA.
February 2008
