Federal government investing $183M to support TTC system improvements

The Government of Canada, through its Build Communities Strong Fund, announced it’s investing $183 million in the City of Toronto to support infrastructure updates, including an improvement of accessibility on the TTC. 

Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, Jennifer McKelvie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Her Worship Olivia Chow, Mayor of the City of Toronto, and Michael Atlas, General Counsel of the Toronto Transit Commission, made the announcement, which will see the funds allocated through projects like the Toronto Transit Commission’s Easier Access Program which will upgrade subway stations with elevators, accessible doors, updated signage, and wayfinding.

“Building a strong Canada starts with building strong communities. We are investing in new infrastructure projects that build better public transit, support housing, and foster connected communities. Our investment in Toronto reinforces our commitment to building bold, building strong, and building together,” said Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure.

“We’re grateful for federal CCBF funding that helps us upgrade the TTC and make our public transit system more accessible and reliable. I’ve made record investments into increasing TTC service levels and making much-needed repairs, without raising fares, and our strong partnership with the Federal government helps us go even further. Together, we’re committed to making public transit more affordable, safe and reliable, which in turn supports more housing and economic growth in our city,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of the City of Toronto.

The Build Communities Strong Fund comprises three major streams:

• A Provincial and Territorial stream that will provide $17.2 billion over 10 years to support infrastructure projects and priorities. This includes housing-enabling, health-related infrastructure, and infrastructure at colleges and universities.
• A Direct Delivery stream that will provide $6 billion to support regionally significant projects, climate adaptation, and community infrastructure. This could include clean-energy generation and storage projects, flood protection, and new community and recreational spaces.
• A Community stream that will provide $27.8 billion for local roads, bridges, water systems, and community centres – getting the basics right and helping towns and cities grow – which will be the existing Canada Community-Building Fund moving under this newly launched fund to help streamline the government’s infrastructure efforts.

“Stable, predictable funding for public transit is critical to the viability of our system, and the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) is a prime example of an essential funding program. We know that functional public transit is essential for growth, freedom of movement and reducing congestion on our roads. This investment will help the TTC to improve transit for millions of commuters across the City of Toronto,” said Jamaal Myers, Chair of the Board, Toronto Transit Commission.

Featured image: (TTC)