Federal funding boosts public transit service

• Backgrounder

Vancouver, British Columbia, October 10, 2006 - TransLink Chair Malcolm Brodie hosted the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Canada's Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Ida Chong, BC's Minister of Community Services, at the new Vancouver Transit Centre today to mark the transfer of federal Gas Tax Funds in the Lower Mainland.

This revenue sharing program will see $307 million dedicated to transit improvements in the GVRD by 2010. In addition, funding through the Public Transit Agreement and the Public Transit Capital Trust could mean millions more for transit expansion and renewal. Chair Brodie used the occasion to announce that TransLink is using the first $74 million in federal gas tax revenue to assist in the purchase of 225 new buses to modernize and expand transit services.

Minister Cannon, who applied the Canada wordmark to one of the new buses on display at the event, said these buses are tangible examples to people across the region of the federal government's commitment to cleaner air and healthy economies for Canada's cities. "Canada's government has moved aggressively to help our cities address their significant infrastructure deficits while promoting environmental benefits. Our budget committed $16.5 billion over the next four years - an unprecedented level of support that signals our larger effort to address the fiscal balance, in part on the principle of predicable, long-term fiscal arrangements between the levels of governments," Minister Cannon said.

The Honourable Ida Chong, the provincial Minster of Community Services, said the province shares the federal government's priority to address municipal infrastructure needs. "Our government, and my ministry specifically, has paid specific attention to ensuring that municipalities across the province have fair and equitable access to Government of Canada funding. I am especially pleased that our partnership with the Union of BC Municipalities provides a mechanism for regional districts to set their own priorities for Gas Tax Funding from the federal government," Minister Chong said. She noted that the GVRD had determined that all $307 million coming to the region through the federal Strategic Priorities Fund should flow through to TransLink for transit improvements.

TransLink Chair Malcolm Brodie added by providing details of the bus purchase program made possible by federal Gas Tax Funding. "The first wave of new vehicles is just now coming into service - the 55 compressed natural gas vehicles we purchased in the spring as additional buses for the fleet. The second wave, 52 new generation "clean diesels" are due to start arriving next month from New Flyer Industries in Winnipeg. Just last week, we signed an order for 126 more new buses from NovaBus in Quebec," Brodie said, "which will help us meet our target of 1,400 buses in service by the end of 2007."

The 225 new buses can carry up to 25 million passengers per year, and Brodie said that expanding and modernizing the transit fleet was one of TransLink's top priorities to ensure the region's transportation system can continue to serve the growing demand to move people and goods.

This month, TransLink will be making an application to the UBCM for funding to support the purchase of 34 new SkyTrain cars and 24 new Community Shuttle buses through the federal/provincial Public Transit Agreement.

The federal government also transferred on September 25th to British Columbia a further $119.3 million from the Public Transit Capital Trust program. TransLink will make application for funding from this program at the first available opportunity.

For further information contact:

Natalie Sarafian,
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
(613) 991-0700

Dave Crebo,
Media Relations
Office of the Honourable Ida Chong
Minister of Community Services
(604) 356-6334

Hen Hardie,
Director Communications
TransLink
(604) 453-4606

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Backgrounder

Vancouver, British Columbia

In Budget 2006, the new Government of Canada committed to a total of $16.5 billion over the next four years for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure. This is an unprecedented level of support for infrastructure and communities in Canada. This budget includes $2 billion to renew the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) and $2.2 billion to renew the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, as well as $2.4billion for a new Highways and Border Infrastructure Fund.

Gas Tax Fund

The Government of Canada is investing more than $635 million in gas tax funding over five years for the benefit of B.C. cities and communities, large and small. These investments will provide significant environmental benefits, like reduced greenhouse gases, cleaner air and cleaner water. This commitment is set out in the agreement signed on September 19, 2005, by Canada, British Columbia and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

The agreement is built on six principles: respect for jurisdiction, flexibility, equity, transparency, focus on long-term solutions, and regular reporting to Canadians. Through this agreement all signatories commit to working in partnership to make B.C.'s cities and communities more sustainable.

Public Transit Fund

Nationally, $400 million is available as a one-time contribution to provinces and territories in 2005-06 for public transit infrastructure. Nine provinces and territories have signed agreements and now have their funding (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon). We expect to sign the agreement with the others provinces and territories in the coming weeks and months. Through the Public Transit Fund, British Columbia will receive $52.5 million, of which 40.3 million will come to TransLink.

Public Transit Capital Trust

Provinces and territories are now benefiting from the Public Transit Capital Trust, which delivers an additional $900 million for a three-year period. The Trust is meant to support investments in rapid transit, transit buses, intelligent transportation systems, and other uses such as high occupancy vehicle and bicycle lanes. All provinces and territories have signed on to the trusts. British Columbia has received $119.3 million from the Public Transit Capital Trust program.