The funding will be used to purchase up to 15 “accessible transit vehicles” and up to four “accessible supervisor vehicles.” Pictured: HSR Bus. Photo Credit: HSR/Facebook.
The federal, provincial, and municipal governments recently announced a combined investment of more than $6 million to improve transit services in the City of Hamilton.
The funding will be used to purchase up to 15 “accessible transit vehicles” that the government says will result in expanded service and increased safety.
In addition, the funds will support the purchase of up to four “accessible supervisor vehicles.”
The supervisor vehicles will have advanced technology that will reportedly be used in emergencies when local transit and accessible taxis are unavailable.
All the vehicles will also have dispatching software, vehicle location tracking for passengers, fare payment information, and communication with dispatch.
Furthermore, the joint investment will be used to conduct a detailed design review of two existing transit hubs and a functional review of five new hubs across the City of Hamilton.
That review will reportedly help the city to plan for Hamilton’s future transit needs.
The federal government’s contribution to the projects is more than $2.5 million and is provided through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP PTIS).
Meanwhile, the Government of Ontario is investing more than $2 million and the City of Hamilton’s contribution is over $1.6 million.
In Ontario, the ICIP PTIS has reportedly approved over 400 projects to improve public transit, with the federal government having already committed $8.3 billion to the program, while the provincial government has committed $7.3 billion.
A joint press release says that “investing in public transit helps Canadians get where they need to be, creates new manufacturing and construction jobs, reduces pollution, and makes life more affordable.”
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath welcomed the investment.
“Hamilton’s commitment to improving our public transit system is not just about enhancing transportation; it’s about building a more inclusive, accessible, and connected community,” she said.
“This significant investment will allow us to expand our services, making it easier for residents from all corners of our city to move around more efficiently. With the addition of new accessible vehicles and the continued development of our redesigned transit network, we are taking important steps toward a more sustainable and equitable future for all Hamiltonians.”
Local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Donna Skelly, who represents the riding of Flamborough-Glanbrook, also commented.
“Getting people to where they work and live is a key goal of our government. The industrial parks and business centres in Flamborough-Glanbrook and across the City of Hamilton have seen tremendous growth over the past five years.”
“Today’s announcement will allow the city to address current transit shortfalls while planning for future growth,” she added.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
