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Province & Feds invest in SSM Public Transit Infrastructure

The health and well-being of Canadians are the top priorities of the Governments of Canada and Ontario. But the COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than Canadians’ personal health. It is having a profound effect on the economy.

That is why governments have been taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done.

Strategic investments in public transit infrastructure are important to building sustainable communities. These investments support a healthy environment and help Ontarians get to work, school, and essential services.

Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedNor) and Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; along with Stephen Crawford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Oakville and Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Infrastructure and on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure; and His Worship Christian Provenzano, Mayor of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, today announced funding for six public transit projects in the city.

These investments include the purchase of 22 buses to replace existing vehicles in the fleet. Fare boxes and automatic vehicle location and call-out equipment will be replaced and upgraded, providing next-stop capabilities and vehicle Wi-Fi on all 39 vehicles of the fleet.

In addition, the downtown bus terminal will be relocated with the construction of a new addition to the main transit building. This will provide a safe, comfortable location for riders to wait and includes a concession and public washrooms. A new bus transfer point in the northern part of the city will ensure transit users can transfer buses within that area without having to go downtown. The purchase of up to 25 bus shelters will replace aging shelters, while the replacement of two transit vehicles used by supervisors and mechanics will help resolve transit issues quickly and efficiently.

Together, these projects will improve the capacity and quality of the transit system, while reducing maintenance costs.

The Government of Canada is investing over $5.5 million in these projects through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS) of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Ontario is providing more than $4.5 million, while the City of Sault Ste. Marie is contributing more than $3.4 million.

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