Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a joint investment of more than $675 million Friday afternoon to support three new Mississauga transit projects.
Trudeau was joined by Ontario’s Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA), Stan Cho, and the Mayor of Mississauga, Bonnie Crombie.
The three new projects include 358 hybrid buses that will replace existing diesel vehicles; a new rapid transit bus corridor along Dundas Street from Confederation Parkway to Etobicoke Creek; and upgrades to Mississauga’s existing bus corridors that would create priority lanes at intersections.
According to a release issued Friday, the addition of the bus corridor along Dundas Street will save commuters an estimated six to 17 minutes per trip.
The joint investment is broken down into $271 million from the federal government, $225 million from the government of Ontario and $180 million from the City of Mississauga.
“We know how important transit is to … people living in the GTA,” Trudeau told reporters. “It's about quality of life, it’s about spending less time on the road stuck in traffic, more time doing the things you love being with your family.”
“Today’s investments will make Mississauga an even better place to live and work.”
Crombie said the investments will significantly strengthen Mississauga’s local transit system.
“Funding to build rapid bus transit along Dundas Street, in particular, will make it easier for residents to travel to and from Mississauga and is critical for regional economic growth and recovery,” she said.
“The Dundas BRT will further strengthen our east to west connections, reducing travel times and connecting people to more job opportunities and businesses to more customers.”
In February, the Ontario government announced the currently under construction Hurontario LRT will be named ‘The Hazel McCallion Line’ in honour of the long-time Mississauga mayor, who turned 101-years-old on Feb. 14. The 18-kilometre line is scheduled to open in 2024.
With files from CP24's Chris Fox.
