Mississauga Set to Receive Massive Transit Investment
Published May 5, 2017 at 8:06 pm
Over the past few months, there has been no shortage of major transit announcements coming from all levels of government and Mississauga has been the lucky recipient of a few chunks of transit change.
Back in March, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $58 million in federal funding for transit services in Mississauga through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). Today, Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Malton, announced the 57 projects that will receive a little extra monetary love through the PTIF.
Today, Bains–along with Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Steve Del Duca, Ontario Minister of Transportation and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie–appeared at the Mississauga Transit Facility to discuss the projects that will receive funding.
The PTIF projects include the acquisition of up to 80 40-foot and 60-foot buses to replace older models, the construction of 25 km of multi-use trails, bike lanes and signed routes (ideal for cyclists and pedestrians) and more.
“The government of Canada is working closely with the government of Ontario and municipalities to invest in important transit initiatives that will strengthen communities across Ontario by growing the middle-class, fostering long-term prosperity and getting Canadians to their daily activities on time and home at the end of the day,” said Bains. “Canadians today and into the future will benefit from the projects announced today, which will provide Mississauga residents with affordable and efficient public transit infrastructure.”
As for the projects themselves, some initiatives set to receive funding include improvements to the Malton Satellite Terminal, the City Centre Transit Terminal, The Edward J. Dowling Transit Facility.
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The PTIF will also help fund a new transit operator facility at Mount Charles Park, replace 500 existing MiWay stops, install 100 additional MiWay shelters, help cover maintenance and repairs associated with current transit infrastructure and help fund trail reconstruction at a number of parks (including Garnetwood Park, Huron Heights, Pheasant Run Park and more).
The money will also help fund the acquisition of new Intelligent Transportation System equipment (closed circuit tv, detection devices, etc.) and detailed safety assessments for all at-grade railway crossings.
While the investments in Mississauga are impressive, they’re part and parcel of the federal government’s plan to ramp up infrastructure spending across the country. Although their campaign promise rankled some budget hawks, it was hard to argue against the need to focus on the development of the GTHA (Greater Toronto Hamilton Area).
The government is set to provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
“The government of Canada has allocated unprecedented funding to help Canada’s cities, like Mississauga, press ahead with important city-building priorities like breaking gridlock, building transit and strengthening our local economy,” said Crombie. “Through PTIF, Mississauga will receive $58 million in investments for 57 separate city-building initiatives.”
For a full list of all 57 initiatives, click here.
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