Residents of Cornwall will benefit from improved transit services thanks to a new bus which was put into service in early September. The low-floored, wheelchair-accessible bus can seat 35 passengers. It will expand the Cornwall leg of the Capital Region Public Transit system as a complement to the existing City of Charlottetown and Town of Stratford systems.
The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the Honourable Ron W. MacKinley, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, and Cornwall Councilor Marlene Hunt, Chair of the Transportation and Safety Committee, joined together to celebrate the launch of service of the new bus.
“Efficient public transit is a priority for our government and for Canadians,” said Minister Shea. “Today’s celebration is an example of our commitment to improving and strengthening Canadian communities.”
“This new transit bus will give residents of Cornwall the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of environmentally friendly public transportation,” said Minister MacKinley. “The Province is pleased to support this project and, as member for the district, I’m very excited to see the Town of Cornwall taking steps toward building a sustainable community.”
“This represents a huge step forward for the Town of Cornwall,” noted Councilor Hunt. “To have a modern bus, equipped with a bike rack and being wheelchair accessible is wonderful. We are delighted with the support this project received through the Gas Tax Fund. I wish to thank the federal and provincial governments for their assistance with this initiative as well as Mayor Patrick MacFadyen and Town Council for their support.”
The federal government provided $450,000 to the Town of Cornwall through the Gas Tax Fund for transit initiatives in the community. In Budget 2008, the Government of Canada announced that the gas tax would be extended beyond 2013-14 to become a $2 billion per year source of permanent infrastructure investment. Between 2007 and 2014, Prince Edward Island will receive $88.5 million from the Gas Tax Fund.
For more information about the federal Gas Tax Fund, please visit www.buildingcanada.gc.ca or www.infrastructure.gc.ca. For more information on infrastructure program in Prince Edward Island, visit www.gov.pe.ca/go/infrastructure.