New transit facility open for service in York Region

RICHMOND HILL, ON, July 21, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons; Costas Menegakis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill; the Honourable Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and MPP for Richmond Hill; Wayne Emmerson, York Region Chairman and CEO; and Dave Barrow, Mayor of the Town of Richmond Hill, officially marked the opening of a new transit operations, maintenance and storage facility.

The facility has been built to store and maintain York Region Transit/Viva bus rapid transit vehicles, and is located near Leslie Street and 16^th Avenue in Richmond Hill's Headford Business Park. This state-of-the-art facility was designed to meet LEED Silver standards with environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient features.

The 481,679 square foot facility will hold 196 Viva buses and, among other environmental features, includes a reflective white roof to save on cooling costs and storage for 500,000 litres of rainwater recycled for use in the bus wash.

"The Government of Canada is pleased to have invested in this important project that supports long-term prosperity in York Region," said Minister Van Loan. "By investing in transit infrastructure we are helping to ensure economic growth and job creation in the GTA, and across Canada."

"Investing in projects like this one helps to create jobs for Ontarians, increases transit ridership and reduces traffic congestion," said MP Menegakis. "The Government of Canada is working with provincial and municipal partners to improve public transit infrastructure here and across the country."

"The Ontario government is committed to improving the commute and quality of life for Ontario families," said MPP Moridi. "By investing in facilities like this, we can make a difference by improving the transit systems that will connect the entire region."

"Collectively, our governments have invested a tremendous amount of money and resources enhancing transit initiatives to support our growing ridership and population," said Mr. Emmerson. "This is a great example of the success that can happen when all levels of government work together."

"Facilities such as these are important parts of our infrastructure," said Mayor Barrow. "They support the planned growth in our key centres and along important corridors."

The total project cost was approximately $135 million. The Government of Canada contributed approximately $57 million through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, the Regional Municipality of York provided $60 million and the Province of Ontario provided $18 million.

The construction of the facility is part of a larger project that includes the purchase of 39 bus rapid transit vehicles and the construction of Cornell Terminal in the City of Markham.

This project is part of the broader vivaNext rapid transit network, which includes the York Viva Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project being implemented by Metrolinx, an agency of the Province of Ontario. The BRT project represents $1.4 billion in provincial transit investment, and is an example of The Big Move – Metrolinx's 25-year plan to implement a common vision for transportation in the GTHA – in action. For more information, please visit www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rtp.

York Region Rapid Transit Corporation (YRRTC) is responsible for the planning, design and construction of the full vivaNext rapid transit network and related infrastructure to deliver on the transit priorities set out in the York Region Transportation Master Plan. YRRTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary and share capital corporation of the Regional Municipality of York. The vivaNext rapid transit network is a key component of the vision outlined by Ontario's Places to Grow Act, which aims to manage growth in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way that enriches communities. For more information, please visit www.vivanext.com.

To learn more about the Government of Canada's focus on jobs and the economy, consult Canada's Economic Action Plan.

 

SOURCE Transport Canada

For further information: Vincent Rabault, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, 613-943-1838; Patrick Searle, Minister's Office, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Toronto, 416-327-1815; Ashley Brown, York Region Rapid Transit Corporation, 905-886-6767, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055; Bob Nichols, Communications, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Toronto, 416-327-1158