Canada, Ontario invest in accessible public transit for Greenstone, Kenora, Machin
Funding for three projects that aim to improve the accessibility of public transit in Greenstone, Kenora and Machin, Ontario, was announced by the Honorable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North, on behalf of the Honorable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Rainy River; the Honorable Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora-Rainy River, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines; Minister of Indigenous Affairs, on behalf of the Honorable Laurie Scott, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure; His Worship Dan Reynard, Mayor of the City of Kenora; His Worship Renald Beaulieu, Mayor of the Municipality of Greenstone; and His Worship Gordon Griffiths, Mayor of the Township of Machin.
"Modern and accessible public transit systems are essential for building sustainable communities of tomorrow,” said Powlowski. “Improving public transit services for residents of these three communities helps to get them where they need to go, whether it be to access essential services, get to work, or visit with loved ones. The investments announced today will benefit the communities, residents, and the environment for years to come."
These investments will ensure each community has the infrastructure they need to provide reliable and accessible public transit services and get residents where they need to be on time. To support these projects, the government of Canada is investing more than C$141,945 (US$109,662) through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS) of the Investing in Canada plan, the government of Ontario is providing C$118,276 (US$91,376) and the municipalities are contributing C$94,642 (US$73,120).
"Public transit allows Canadians to get around in ways that are cleaner, faster and more affordable,” said Minister Hajdu, on behalf of Minister McKenna. “These investments will help improve public transit service in Kenora, Greenstone and Machin by ensuring they have the fleet and facilities they need to provide accessible, safe and reliable transit services to residents in their communities. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”
Rickford added, "Northwesterners deserve modern, affordable and accessible community transportation options. That is why our government is proud to deliver this important funding to upgrade and improve public transit infrastructure in Kenora, Machin and Greenstone in partnership with Municipalities and the Federal government."
In Greenstone, the purchase of a 14-seat accessible bus will help modernize and expand the transit fleet and increase services to seniors. The purchase of one handi-transit bus and the construction of a new bus garage in Kenora will expand the paratransit service and provide more accessible transit options for residents. In Machin, the construction of a bus storage shelter will ensure the quality and safety of the stored vehicles, which provides reliable transit services for senior residents.
"Our accessible specialized transit service is an essential service for our community that supports citizens of Kenora who may require accessible assistance. This funding for the purchase of an accessible bus will expand this specialized service and the construction of a new bus garage will ensure vehicles remain safe and reliable,” said Mayor Reynard. “Both of these projects are key to the vitality of this important service for our citizens and we are thankful for this joint federal and provincial funding through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan."
Mayor Beaulieu added, "The Municipality of Greenstone is extremely grateful to Infrastructure Canada and the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario for approving our request for funding for this important project. The purchase of the 14-seat paratransit bus will allow us to improve and expand our assistance to our local seniors."
