BRIDGEWATER, NS, May 15, 2024
/CNW/ - Lunenburg County Wheels will expand their fleet by
four vans after a combined investment of $432,000 from the federal and provincial
governments.
This was announced today by Minister Becky Druhan and
Jerome Tanner, president of
the Lunenburg County Wheels board. Expanding the fleet will allow
Lunenburg County Wheels to serve more people in a larger area.
Lunenburg County Wheels is a non-profit organization that
provides transportation services in rural communities in western
Lunenburg County. With these four additional vehicles more
residents in western Lunenburg County will have an affordable
transportation option that will help them get around.
Quotes
"Organizations like Lunenburg County Wheels are invaluable
partners in making our communities stronger and making lives easier
for residents. We are proud to support this project that will help
even more people in Lunenburg County get around easily and
conveniently.
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing,
Infrastructure and Communities
"People in communities across Nova
Scotia rely on public transportation to do day-to-day tasks
and to get them where they need to go. Investments like this make a
big difference in our rural communities where there are often fewer
transportation options. I'm pleased to support this important
organization and help expand their fleet to better serve Lunenburg
County."
The Honourable Becky Druhan, Nova
Scotia Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development
and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lunenburg West
"The addition of these four mobility vans enables Lunenburg
County Wheels to enter the last expansion of our affordable
transportation system to all of western Lunenburg County. It is a
feeling of accomplishment. After over a year of planning for this
service we could not have accomplished it without the support of
the federal and provincial governments as well as our Board, our
drivers, sponsors, and the municipal governments of Lunenburg
County. We hope this service will be successful and continue for
years to come."
Jerome Tanner, president of
the Lunenburg County Wheels board
Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing $345,600 in this project through the Rural
Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF), and the Government of Nova Scotia is contributing $86,400.
- The RTSF helps Canadians living in rural and remote areas get
around their communities more easily. It supports the development
of rural transit solutions, including new transit service models
that could be replicated or scaled up.
- A minimum of 10% of RTSF's funding will be allocated to
projects that benefit Indigenous populations and communities.
- The RTSF's – Capital Projects stream helps cover capital costs
like the purchase of vehicles or digital platforms, as well as
support for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles.
- Eligible applicants were able to seek contributions of up to
$3 million to help cover the capital
costs of a new or expanded transit solution (e.g., purchase of
vehicles or digital platforms), and up to $5
million to support zero-emission transit solutions (e.g.,
for the purchase of a zero-emission vehicle(s)). This stream closed
on February 28, 2024.
- The RTSF's – Planning and Design Projects continuous intake
remains open. Through this stream, eligible applicants can receive
a grant up to $50,000 in support of a
communities' projects to plan and design a new or expanded transit
solution for their communities. Some examples of eligible Planning
and Design Projects activities are assessment of routes and modes
of travel, feasibility studies, public and stakeholder engagement
and surveys.
- One in five Canadians live in rural communities. Rural
communities in Canada account for
nearly 30% of the nation's gross domestic product.
- The RTSF complements Canada's
strengthened climate plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy
Economy. Through the plan the federal government has committed to
providing permanent federal funding for public transit in support
of making clean and affordable transportation available in every
community.
- Since 2015, the federal government has announced an
unprecedented investment of over $30
billion in thousands of transit projects in communities
across the country.
- The funding announced today builds on the federal government's
work through the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create well-paying
middle-class jobs, strengthen local economies, and build inclusive
communities.
Associated Links
Rural Transit Solutions Fund
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/rural-trans-rural/index-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Federal infrastructure investments in Nova Scotia
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ns-eng.html
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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada