Niagara Transit receives significant funding for eight transit projects

Niagara Transit is getting significant federal, provincial and regional funding for eight transit projects, and to improve local transit services.

The Ontario government announced it was investing over $42 million Thursday, through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, for eight transit projects.

Sam Oosterhoff, the MPP for Niagara West, made the announcement in St. Catharines and was joined by Prabmeet Sarkaria, the Minister of Transportation, Chris Bittle, the MP for St. Catharines, and Mat Siscoe, the Mayor of the City of St. Catharines.

The transit system will be receiving a total of over $128 million from federal, provincial and regional sources to refresh its transit fleet and to develop a long-term growth plan.

Sarkaria said the province was investing $70 billion over the next 10 years to build the largest transit expansion in Canadian history, which would include the Niagara region.

“We are connecting people to good-paying jobs and housing, helping our local businesses thrive, and growing our economy,” said Sarkaria.

The funding will be used to buy 124 conventional diesel buses to replace Niagara Transit vehicles.

The transit operator says the new buses will feature real-time tracking information, up-to-date times for riders and secure payment fareboxes and cameras for public safety.

The new funding will also be used to replace 30 specialized paratransit buses, refurbished three conventional diesel buses, and add two vehicles to the specialized transit fleet.

“Today’s investment will allow Niagara Transit to make valuable updates to allow its intermunicipal transit and paratransit fleet to meet the growing needs of local riders for years to come,” said Jim Bradley, the Chair of the Regional Municipality of Niagara.

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