share

Canada and Ontario Invest in Cornwall Transit

June 25, 2020
By Bob Peters

Cornwall Ontario – Cornwall’s transit system is receiving an injection of cash thanks to the governments of Canada and Ontario.

The funds will be used to support five Cornwall projects, including the installation of 10 new bus shelters and 60 fully accessible bus stops, and the replacement of 12 conventional buses and eight para transit buses.

“We are always grateful for investments in our public transit infrastructure,” said Bernadette Clement, Mayor of Cornwall. “Our community relies on Cornwall Transit – and this was never more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which our buses connected residents with essential work and services. The City of Cornwall welcomes the opportunity to further invest in our transit system, and especially in infrastructure that will make transit more accessible, safer, and more efficient.”

Other improvements include the installation of 90 surveillance cameras, 15 new passenger counters and 26 electronic fare-boxes that will enhance the passenger experience and provide better security to the public. These investments will encourage more residents to choose public transit by providing them with greater accessibility and safer public transit in Cornwall.

“Moving goods to market and people to jobs is a critical piece of our community’s economic growth and recovery,” said Jim McDonell, Member of Provincial Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry. “I’m thrilled that the City of Cornwall has now been given the green light to move forward with building more public transit infrastructure. We remain committed to working with our municipal partners and the federal government to build more public transit that will get people moving, reduce congestion, and drive economic growth.”

The announcement included transit projects in both Cornwall and Brockville. The Government of Canada is investing over $5.1 million in these projects through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS) of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Ontario is contributing more than $4.1 million while the City of Cornwall is contributing over $3.0 million and the City of Brockville is contributing $210,076 in their respective projects.

“Investing in modern and accessible public transportation systems is essential to building healthy, inclusive, and resilient communities,” Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands. “Many residents in Cornwall and Brockville rely on public transit to get around the region each day. The investments we are making with our partners are helping make communities more liveable for families while moving forward on sustainability and fighting climate change. They will also provide jobs as we recover from the economic effects of the pandemic. When Canada builds, Canada grows.”

Quick facts

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.
Across the province, Ontario is investing more than $7.3 billion in public transit infrastructure over 10 years through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
Cornwall Transit operates four conventional bus routes, in addition to a Community Bus Service, Handi-Transit service and several supplementary routes to the Cornwall Business Park.

Business Reopening Toolkit

Cornwall Economic Development has put together a toolkit to help businesses reopen. The toolkit includes guidelines and a maximum occupancy calculator along with signs and posters that can be downloaded and printed: