Transfer of a portion of the federal Gas Tax Fund and a contribution from the Government of Quebec
March 19, 2015 – Québec City, Quebec – Infrastructure Canada
The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Sam Hamad, Quebec Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity and Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region, on behalf of Robert Poëti, Quebec Minister of Transport and Minister Responsible for the Montréal Region, accompanied by Mr. Régis Labeaume, Mayor of Québec City, announced $79,129,341 in funding for public transit in Québec. This amount is funded under the federal Gas Tax Fund and a contribution from the Government of Quebec.
The funding announced today will allow the Réseau de transport de la Capitale to upgrade and acquire public transit infrastructure and equipment such as buses, garages and terminals, reserved bus lanes, park-and-ride lots and intelligent transportation systems in Québec City.
The allocation from the federal Gas Tax Fund and the Government of Quebec's contribution will provide transportation agencies and authorities with long-term, stable and predictable funding.
The federal Gas Tax Fund was extended and doubled to $2 billion per year, indexed at 2% annually and legislated as a permanent source of federal infrastructure funding for municipalities.
Over the next five years, transportation agencies and authorities in Quebec will receive $983.1 million for infrastructure and equipment improvements, with $485.5 million coming from the federal Gas Tax Fund and $497.6 million from the Government of Quebec's contribution. Quebec's contribution consists of revenue generated by the higher registration fees levied on vehicles with heavy-duty engines and revenue from the Fonds des réseaux de transport terrestre (FORT). This funding is in addition to investments planned by the Quebec government under various other public transit programs totalling $1.3 billion for 2014–2015.
Vincent Rabault
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
613-943-1838
Valérie Rodrigue
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport and
Minister Responsible for the Montreal Region
418-643-6980
Salim Idrissi
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity and
Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region
418-643-5297
David O'Brien
Communications Advisor
City of Québec
418-641-6210
Communications Directorate
Quebec Department of Transport
Québec City: 418-644-4444
Montréal: 514-873-5600
Toll-free: 1-866-341-5724
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll-free 1-877-250-7154
Email: media@infc.gc.ca
Twitter: @INFC_eng
Website: Infrastructure Canada