Joint news release with the Government of Canada
Today, Larry Bagnell, Member of Parliament for Yukon, Yukon Minister of Community Services John Streicker; and Mayor of the City of Whitehorse Dan Curtis announced funding for two public transit and two local road projects in Whitehorse.
The Government of Canada is investing $13.2 million in these projects through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Yukon is providing over $3.3 million to the project, with the City of Whitehorse contributing $245,000.
The first two projects include replacing four accessible low floor buses and building a new transit hub at the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Steele Street. The new buses will ensure residents have access to inclusive, efficient and safe public transit.
Funding will also go towards the reconstruction of Tlingit Street in the Marwell East section of Whitehorse, as well as various replacements and upgrades to road and sewer infrastructure on Cook Street.
Strategic investments in public transit and road infrastructure play a key role in supporting efficient, affordable and sustainable transportation services. These investments will help Yukoners get to work or school on time and back home safely at the end of the day.
Upgrading public transit and road infrastructure helps our communities provide efficient and reliable services that transform the way Yukoners live, move, and work. The projects announced today will provide the residents of the City of Whitehorse with the infrastructure needed to travel across the community safely. This is an excellent example of what Yukoners can do when we work together at all levels of government to build stronger, more self-sustaining communities.
Member of Parliament for Yukon Larry Bagnell
Transit that meets the needs of residents is key to keeping our capital city inclusive, accessible and sustainable. Given its size, Whitehorse sets a standard for public transit in Canada. It’s great to see this investment in public transit and we look forward to further collaboration with the City of Whitehorse and the Government of Canada.
Minister of Community Services John Streicker
Over the years we’ve seen sustained growth in the number of people who use public transit. Any external funding we receive helps us improve the buses we use and the roads we drive on every day. We thank the federal and territorial governments for their continued support as we strive to enhance the way people travel within the city.
Mayor of the City of Whitehorse Dan Curtis
Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
- $28.7 billion of this funding is supporting public transit projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
- More than $10.1 billion of this funding is supporting trade and transportation projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
- $2 billion of this funding is supporting infrastructure projects that meet the unique needs of rural and northern communities like facilities to support food security, local access roads and enhanced broadband connectivity. In addition, $400 million is being delivered through the Arctic Energy Fund to advance energy security in the territories.
- $4 billion of this funding is supporting infrastructure projects in Indigenous communities.
On June 27, 2019, the Government of Canada launched two new strategies: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, which commits to connect all Canadians to high-speed internet, and Canada’s first Rural Economic Development Strategy, which will spur economic growth and create good, middle-class jobs for rural Canadians across the country.
The Rural Economic Development Strategy leverages ongoing federal investments and provides a vision for the future, identifying practical steps to take in the short term, and serving as a foundation to guide further work.
Central to Canada’s Connectivity Strategy are historic new investments that are mobilizing up to $6 billion toward universal connectivity. They include a top-up to the Connect to Innovate Program, a new Universal Broadband Fund, and investments from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
Whitehorse residents to benefit from improved public transit services and local roads infrastructure
Joint federal, territorial and municipal funding through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will support four projects including public transit and road infrastructure improvements.
The Government of Canada is investing $13.2 million in these projects through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS), the Green Infrastructure Stream (GIS) and the Rural and Northern Infrastructure Stream (RNIS). The Government of Yukon is contributing over $3.3 million. The City of Whitehorse is contributing $245,000 total to these projects.
Project Information:
|
Project Name |
Fund |
Project Details |
Federal Funding |
Territorial Funding |
Municipal Funding |
Other Funding |
|
Whitehorse Transit Services: Bus Replacement |
PTIS |
Replacement of four 40-foot fully accessible buses from the City of Whitehorse’s existing bus fleet that have reached their end of life. Replacement buses will improve the capacity of the public transit infrastructure by increasing service level. |
$1,650,000 |
$550,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Whitehorse Transit Station/Hub at 2nd Avenue and Steele Street |
PTIS |
This new building will be located in the heart of Whitehorse’s central business section and consist of a heated waiting area, public toilets, bike racks and landscaping. With ridership increasing annually, the project aims to improve the quality of Whitehorse’s public transit system. |
$675,000 |
$225,000 |
$75,000 |
$400,000 |
|
Tlingit Street Reconstruction |
GIS |
The reconstruction of Tlingit street will include the installation of a roadway surface as well as 500 metres of wastewater and storm sewers where there currently are none. The adjacent water main on Galena Road will also be replaced. |
$3,000,000 |
$975,000 |
$70,000 |
$0 |
|
RNIS |
$1,125,000 |
|||||
|
City of Whitehorse Downtown Reconstruction – Cook Street
|
RNIS |
Completion of various replacements and upgrades to the road and sewer infrastructure for Cook Street in the City of Whitehorse. The project will also replace the street’s underground water and sewer infrastructure, and upgrade a 1.2 km road section. A multi-use trail from Black Street to Ogilvie Street will also be developed. |
$6,750,000 |
$1,617,591 |
$100,000 |
$0 |
Matthew Cameron
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7136
matthew.cameron@gov.yk.ca
Bonnie Venton Ross
Communications, Community Services
867-332-5513
bonnie.ventonross@gov.yk.ca
Myles Dolphin
Manager - Strategic Communications
City of Whitehorse
myles.dolphin@whitehorse.ca
867-689-0515
Ann-Clara Vaillancourt
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
ann-clara.vaillancourt@canada.ca
613-697-3778
Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: infc.media.infc@canada.ca