Combined investment of C$17 million to help city of Burlington improve transit services
The government of Canada, the government of Ontario and the city of Burlington, Ontario, are making a combined investment of nearly C$17 million (US$12.2 million) to help the city purchase 15 new conventional, hybrid, and electric buses that will replace aging vehicles and expand the capacity of the local public transit system. Four of the 15 buses will be electric and part of a pilot project.
The city notes that adding new buses to its fleet allows for transit route expansion and service improvements and enables Burlington Transit to offer more frequent service (15- and 20-minute frequency). By adding six specialized transit vehicles to the fleet, the city says it can provide more service to riders who are not able to use conventional buses.
The funding also supports improvements to digital signage at Burlington Transit bus stops, including new digital signage with real time schedules and next bus information.
“Transit use in Burlington is on the rise, with many residents relying on it everyday to access work, school and vital services. The federal government is proud to support expansion and improvements to the local public transit system so it can continue to meet the needs of our growing city for years to come,” said Member of Parliament for the city of Burlington Karina Gould.
“The city of Burlington is poised for significant population growth. It is increasingly important for municipalities to invest in transit system expansion to support growing communities in getting to and from their homes, places of employment and other commercial and recreational facilities. Through these strategic investments, we are taking proactive steps towards increasing mobility services that are reliable, efficient and innovative for Burlington residents. At the same time, we are reducing our carbon footprint and promoting the long-term sustainability of our transit network,” said city of Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.
The government of Canada is investing C$6.8 million (US$4.9 million) through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The government of Ontario is investing C$5.7 million (US$4.1 million) and the city of Burlington is contributing C$4.5 million (US$3.2 million).
In 2019, the city of Burlington was the recipient of funds under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, an initiative involving all three levels of government. The funds helped the city complete several initiatives, including the following:
- Burlington Transit Five-Year Business Plan.
- Specialized transit vehicles expansion to better service the changing demographic in Burlington and the increasing need for door-to-door, specialized service.
- Conventional transit vehicle expansion.
- Conventional transit vehicle replacement.
“These investments have a positive impact on our transit service and help us make important strides to make public transit greener. The city continues to advocate to ensure our projects are considered for funding streams that will make a difference for our community. These funds from the federal and provincial governments will support our work to make transit a more viable and efficient option for all in Burlington,” said city of Burlington’s Director of Transit Catherine Baldelli.
