Investing in public transit infrastructure in St John’s

eAwazLocal News

St John’s – Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Danny Breen, Mayor of the City of St. John’s, announced a joint investment of more than $27.8 million to enhance St. John’s public transit infrastructure.

This funding will support the purchase of 8 accessible hybrid transit buses which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change while increasing wheelchair accessibility on conventional transit service in St. John’s.

Funding will also go towards the construction of shared-use paths throughout the city. This includes construction of the Kelly’s Brook shared-use path from Kings Bridge Road to Columbus Drive to create a continuous 5 km active transportation route comfortable for use by people of all ages and abilities. The project also includes installation of lighting, rest areas, trailheads, signage and wayfinding. Once completed, this project will offer residents of St. John’s more options for their daily travels while also promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.

By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country’s economy, increasing the resiliency of our communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.

“Safe and reliable public transit systems contribute to making Canadian communities good places to live, work, and raise families. The Government of Canada’s investments in St. John’s hybrid transit buses and shared-use path projects will reduce commute times and help workers, students, seniors and families across St. John’s and beyond get where they need to go faster, cleaner and in affordable ways. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, tackles climate change and builds more inclusive communities.” – Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, on behalf of Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities

“The purchase of eight new hybrid buses is a welcomed investment to help address climate change in Newfoundland and Labrador. Passenger transportation accounts for over 20 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions, so to see the City of St. John’s make a conscious effort to reduce their carbon footprint, making public transportation more environmentally friendly, is a positive step in the right direction.” – Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change