Osborne Street BRT Station (WINNIPEGTRANSIT.COM)
Several hundred million dollars will transform Winnipeg Transit with the purchase of 100 electric buses and other upgrades.
All three levels of government made the announcement Thursday at a park and ride location on Seel Avenue.
The funding will also allow the city to purchase 135 additional diesel buses, and construct a new LEED-certified energy-efficient bus storage and maintenance facility to replace the 70-year-old North Garage.
The federal government is contributing up to $183.7 million, the province is in for more than $153 million, while the City of Winnipeg invests more than $122 million.
“Today marks a significant step in transforming Winnipeg’s public transit system for a future population of a million people,” said Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman.
“With over half a billion dollars in tri-level investments, Winnipeg Transit will implement critical elements of an entirely new transit network that will better respond to the needs of transit riders including: transitioning to zero emission buses, establishing a new network layout that will double the homes with transit through a short walk, designing the new downtown rapid transit corridors and build a much-needed upgrade to Winnipeg Transit’s North Garage.”
All three levels of government are also investing a combined $49.6 million in the redesign of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan and the preliminary design for the proposed downtown Rapid Transit corridors. Funding will also help introduce Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) on buses to replace existing bus radio hardware and equipment, and replace 325 wheelchair securement devices on existing transit vehicles.
