New vehicles to improve public transit services for Charlottetown area residents
Investing in efficient public transit infrastructure is essential to creating livable sustainable communities where people spend less time in traffic and more time with their loved ones.
Today, Sean Casey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, and Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development, the Honourable Dennis King, Premier of Prince Edward Island, and Mike Cassidy, owner of T3 Transit, announced funding for three public transit projects in Charlottetown and the surrounding area.
The three projects include the purchase of six new diesel buses, five para-transportation vans and two mini-buses to improve access to a public transit system across the greater Charlottetown area. The new vehicles will add capacity to existing fleets or replace aging vehicles to ensure all users have access to safe and reliable transit services.
The Government of Canada is investing over $2 million for these three projects, through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS). The Government of Prince Edward Island is contributing more than $1.6 million for the three projects. Funding recipients are responsible for the remainder of the project costs.
Quotes
“Investing in public transit infrastructure helps build sustainable communities, encourage economic growth and strengthen the middle class. The new public transit vehicles will improve accessible transit services and ensure people living in the greater Charlottetown area can get to their destination safely and efficiently.”
Sean Casey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, and Member of Parliament for Charlottetown
“Ensuring that communities across Canada have modern infrastructure is essential to building a healthy, sustainable future. These investments are critical to ensuring communities in Prince Edward Island can reach their full potential.”
The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development
“Together, we can tackle the challenges of climate change by supporting our local communities and not-for-profit groups like Pat and the Elephant. Investing in public transit helps lower the number of passenger vehicles on our roads, reduces our greenhouse gas emissions and makes it easier for Islanders to get where they need to go.”
The Honourable Dennis King, Premier of Prince Edward Island
“As the operator of the transit system for City of Charlottetown and Towns of Stratford and Cornwall, we are again encouraged by the financial infrastructure support of all three levels of government for new equipment that can only help to grow our system and maintain customer satisfaction.”
Mike Cassidy, Owner of T3 Transit
Quick facts
- Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
- $28.7 billion of this funding is supporting public transit projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
- On June 27, 2019, the Government of Canada launched two new strategies: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, which commits to connect all Canadians to high-speed internet, and Canada’s first Rural Economic Development Strategy, which will spur economic growth and create good, middle class jobs for rural Canadians across the country.
- The Rural Economic Development Strategy leverages ongoing federal investments and provides a vision for the future, identifying practical steps to take in the short term, and serving as a foundation to guide further work.
- Central to Canada’s Connectivity Strategy are historic new investments that are mobilizing up to $6 billion toward universal connectivity. They include a top-up to the Connect to Innovate Program, a new Universal Broadband Fund, and investments from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
Backgrounder
New vehicles to improve public transit services for Charlottetown area residents
Joint federal, provincial and municipal funding through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will support three projects in Charlottetown and surrounding areas, including public transit improvements.
The Government of Canada is investing over $2 million for these three projects, through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS). The Government of Prince Edward Island is contributing more than $1.6 million for the three projects. Funding recipients are responsible for the remainder of the project costs.
Project Information:
| Project Name | Location | Project Details | Federal Funding | Provincial Funding | Municipal/Other Funding |
| Capital Area Transit Fleet Renewal | Charlottetown, Cornwall, Stratford | Purchase six new diesel buses for the Capital Area transit system. | $1,742,400 | $1,451,854 | Charlottetown: $1,019,808 Stratford: $203,961 Cornwall: $138,974 |
| Pat and the Elephant Van Replacement | Charlottetown | Replace five fully equipped para-transportation vans for the non-profit organization Pat and the Elephant. | $175,158 | $145,951 | $140,891 |
| Capital Area Transit Minibus Purchase | Charlottetown, Stratford, Cornwall | Purchase two new mini-buses for the Capital Area Transit system fleet for lower density routes. | $90,508 | $75,416 | City of Charlottetown and towns of Cornwall and Stratford: $70,631 |
Contacts
Emilie Simard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development
613-864-7690
emilie.simard3@canada.ca
Mike Cassidy
Owner
T3 Transit
902-393-0139
Jennifer Gavin
Communications Officer
City of Charlottetown
(902) 629-4102
jgavin@charlottetown.ca