North Bay Mayor Al McDonald believes that transit is a critical part of any city that wants to grow.
Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli made a major funding announcement in hopes of enhancing that service in North Bay at the Public Works yard off Franklin Street this morning.
Fedeli announced that Ontario is providing a further $3.5 million in support for municipalities to get people moving by spending on additional transit infrastructure projects in North Bay,
“It is all about growing the city and making sure that we have got the optimal way for people to get to work. Our government believes that transit is a serious investment that needs to be made in every community and that is why we have opened up a rural and northern stream specifically for rural and northern Ontario and we believe it is a critical and vital tool,” said Fedeli.
Fedeli says today’s announcement means priority projects from the City of North Bay worth more than $11.4 million in total are being nominated under the Public Transit stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP)
“We’re excited to get shovels in the ground; these initiatives promise to make a real difference in people’s lives by helping them spend less time commuting and more time doing things they love with those they care most about,” said Fedeli.
“Now it’s up to the federal government to approve them.”
The projects are now with the federal government for final funding decisions as they are reviewed for eligibility under the ICIP program.
McDonald says the funding is key with ridership growing to about 1.5 to 1.6 million riders per year.
“We want to continue to invest in our transit and that is all part of growing your city and getting people to work, or shopping or to their doctor's appointments,” said McDonald.
“There is a sidewalk component in this that is going to make it easier for our customers to get to the shelters as there will be digital signs now with the shelters so it is going to be more of a customer-friendly experience."
The provincial contribution to the additional projects includes:
- $2,965,981 for construction of sidewalks
- $211,185 for facility improvements to the fleet garage and bus barn
- $146,985 for new bus shelters, concrete pads and digital signage at bus stops
- $87,491 for Transit On-Demand
- $53,194 for purchase of additional trackless unit
- $40,252 for fleet garage and bus barn facility rehabilitation
