Kingston is getting a busload of cash to encourage more people out of their cars.
More than $47 million from the federal, provincial and municipal governments was announced Monday morning. It will help finance eight public transit and active transportation projects in the coming years.
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna was on hand for the announcement.
“The Government of Canada is investing more than $17 million in projects that will add a zero-emission bus, an expanded network of cycling lanes and multi-use paths, better bus stops shelters and safer pedestrian crossings and intersections,” McKenna said.
Ontario Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott, who was on hand remotely, announced nearly $14.5 million for the projects while the City of Kingston will kick in more than $16 million.
“What is most exciting and encouraging for me as mayor is that every time we have made investments like this in the past we have seen Kingstonians react and respond in spades,” said Kingstom Mayor Bryan Paterson.
Jeremy DaCosta, Kingston’s transit services director, said he couldn’t be happier.
“This money flowing to Kingston is a direct result of the investments that we’ve previously made in transit and our ridership growth,” DaCosta said.
“The funding is connected to ridership and that increase in ridership meant that Kingston got more of the funding today than we would have otherwise — that’s a real important point.”
Kingston’s first electric bus should be on the road by this time next year.
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