Niagara transit systems get $78M boost

Funding for 31 projects will improve access to all of region’s options

More than $78 million is being invested in transit facilities throughout Niagara, with upgrades, expansions and new facilities to enhance services.

Municipal, provincial and federal political leaders teamed up Thursday morning for an online announcement of new funding for 31 transit projects in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland and Fort Erie, in addition to new bicycling lanes planned for Port Colborne.

Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey said the investment — it includes $31 million from the federal government, $26 million from the province and $21 million from Niagara municipalities — “will make it easier for riders to access all of the transit systems across Niagara region ...

“Together, these investments will make it easier for cyclists and public transit users to get around their communities safely, while protecting our environment,” he said. “They will also create immediate and long-term jobs and promote economic growth at a time when our country needs it most.”

St. Catharines Transit facilities will receive the bulk of the funding, with 11 projects in the city worth about $40 million. Nearly $10 million of that will be invested in the expansion of the St. Catharines Transit operations facility — adding room for regional transit headquar

ters to be located there once Niagara’s bus systems are fully integrated.

St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle said the enhancements in his riding include improvements to transit routes, 21 new buses, five new paratransit vehicles, renovations to bus shelters, as well as renovation of the downtown terminal.

“This will make transit locations more accessible, with larger passenger waiting areas to accommodate the growing transit ridership and will include new radio and video surveillance system on the 89-vehicle bus fleet to ensure passenger safety,” Bittle said.

St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik said the investments are long overdue.

“We’re probably 20 years behind where we should be for our transit system. We should at this point in time have an integrated regional transit system that touches all points of Niagara,” he said. “We’re almost there.”

In Niagara Falls, more than $18 million is being invested in 14 projects, including a $2.8million multimodal hub planned for Bridge Street that will create connections to local and regional transit services and the GO train network.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said the facility “will be the entry point to Niagara Falls for hundreds of thousands of people annually.”

“The investments made at this location are going to allow for efficient and seamless travel, and that’s what we want. Today’s announcement is going to do exactly that. It’s going to make it better for everyone,” he said. “It’s a great step in the right direction of stitching Niagara together — all 12 municipalities into one.”

A new $15-million transit operations centre planned for Welland is the largest single investment, which will include facilities for vehicle maintenance and staff training.

Badawey said Welland’s facility will “help meet the needs of a growing public transit network” regionwide.

Other investments include about $3.8 million for Niagara Region Transit, with two new buses and new fare boxes; nearly $397,000 for new fare box technology in Fort Erie; and $825,000 for bike lanes near Nickel Beach in Port Colborne.

Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff called the projects “game-changers.”

“This investment is all about improving the capacity, reliability and accessibility of public transit,” he said, adding it will help support economic recovery and job creation.

Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop said Niagara needs a good public transit system to allow all residents to benefit from the “growth and prosperity that we know will occur.”

“I can’t think of any initiative over the past 20 years that will have a more significant impact on bringing the people of Niagara together than public transit,” he said.

In a statement, Niagara Region Chair Jim Bradley called it a meaningful investment in a “challenging time when everyone is grappling with the effects of COVID-19.”

“It is encouraging to know that we can still all continue to focus on funding critical infrastructure to ensure the sustainable delivery of public services,” he said.

“It’s a great step in the right direction of stitching Niagara together — all 12 municipalities into one.” JIM DIODATI

NIAGARA FALLS MAYOR