Government of Canada announces investment to improve public transit in Brampton and Peel Region
The Voice of Canada :
The City of Brampton welcomes the federal announcement of an investment of more than $17.4 million to improve public transit in the City of Brampton and Peel Region. This investment will enable Brampton Transit to purchase 15 buses to replace vehicles that have reached the end of life and install modern fare payment systems and automatic vehicle location technology.
Brampton is home to the fastest-growing transit system in Canada, with ridership significantly outpacing population growth. In the decade leading up to the pandemic, Brampton’s ridership grew by 160%, which was unprecedented compared to the average increase in Ontario of 2.3% and the national average increase of 6.9%.
Brampton Transit is the first transit system in the country to not only fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but to exceed pre-pandemic ridership levels. As of April 2024, Brampton’s year-to-date ridership is approximately 40% higher than pre-COVID-19 levels, a testament to the value and effectiveness of Brampton Transit’s services.
Investments like this are needed to enable Brampton Transit to continue to address this extraordinary growth. Brampton Transit is creating a modern, integrated transit system by enhancing regional transit connections, increasing connectivity to transit infrastructure, offering sustainable transportation alternatives and implementing advanced and environmentally friendly technologies.
As a leader in transit electrification, with a strong commitment to decarbonizing its transit fleet and facilities to meet the City’s corporate Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets, Brampton Transit launched the largest global deployment of interoperable battery electric buses and high-powered overhead opportunity chargers; with plans to add 10 more electric buses in 2025 as part of its transition to a fully electric zero emission transit fleet.
For more information on the federal announcement visit Budget 2024: Investing in public transit for growing communities – Canada.ca.
For more information about Brampton Transit visit bramptontransit.com.
Additional Information
As part of the $17.4 million, the federal government is investing $6.9 million in three projects through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which supports the building, expansion and upgrading of urban and rural transit networks. The Government of Ontario is investing $5.8 million and the City of Brampton and Peel Region are investing a combined $4.6 million.
This investment will also make it possible for Peel Region to purchase 23 specialized transit accessible buses and two electric TransHelp buses. As part of this investment, Peel Region will also upgrade its bus garages to accommodate battery electric buses, which are being added to its fleet.
Quotes
“We are happy to see the federal and provincial governments making much needed further investments in Brampton Transit. The support will help public transit in Brampton significantly. We are replacing 15 buses that have reached their end of life and we are embracing innovation by implementing new, modern fare systems and vehicle location technology, ensuring a seamless journey for all. As Canada’s fastest-growing transit network, our ridership surge defies norms, demonstrating the indispensable role of Brampton Transit. Investments like this allow us to continue to meet the needs of our riders and with an unwavering focus on sustainability and connectivity, we’re shaping a future where transit is not just efficient, but environmentally responsible. Brampton Transit is not just a service; it’s a pathway to a greener, more connected tomorrow.” – Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton
