Rideau Canal footbridge gets federal funding in transit agreement
Feds offer up $156M to cover dozens of transit infrastructure projects in Ottawa
The federal government will help pay for a new footbridge over the Rideau Canal connecting Fifth Avenue and Clegg Street, one of dozens of local projects to benefit from a $1.49-billion transit infrastructure fund detailed Tuesday.
McKenna announces federal $10.5M for building pedestrian/cycling bridge over Rideau Canal in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ottawa?src=hash">#Ottawa</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottnews?src=hash">#ottnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/8xm7r1VI51">pic.twitter.com/8xm7r1VI51</a>
—@KatePorterCBCOttawa MP Catherine McKenna rode her bike to Tuesday's announcement at the future site of the pedestrian bridge, where shovels should be in the ground by the fall of 2017.
The federal government will contribute $10.5 million — half of the cost of the long-planned footbridge project — to join the Glebe and Old Ottawa East.
That was just one of 57 projects in Ottawa that will share the city's $156-million portion of this first round of federal infrastructure money, which is focused on transit-related projects. The city is expected to match the federal contribution to each project.
Among the other major projects in Ottawa to receive federal funding:
- $45 million for early works and preliminary engineering for Stage 2 of the city's LRT project.
- $20 million to acquire two train sets.
- $15 million related to bus detours during LRT construction.
- $6.8 million to purchase 17 new buses for OC Transpo.
- $6 million for the design of the Baseline transit corridor (Bayshore to Billings).
- $5.5 million to improve tracks at a rail intersection.
- $4.35 million for "transit priority projects."
- $2.5 million to replace a transit structure on Mann Avenue.
- $2.25 million for "smartbus" infrastructure on buses.
- $2.15 million for renewing multi-use pathways in various locations.
- $2 million for various cycling routes in rural areas.
Feds, Ontario sign deal
Earlier Tuesday morning in Barrie, Ont., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the federal treasury will open its coffers and begin distributing $1.49 billion worth of transit infrastructure funding among cities in Ontario for track upgrades, new buses, shelters and upgrades to stations.
The money is part of the first phase of a $60-billion infrastructure funding plan to pay for projects nationwide over the next 10 years.
This round of funding will cover $688 million worth of projects in five Ontario cities — including Ottawa — lined up to be the first recipients of the dedicated transit funding.
The federal funds can be used against up to half the costs of eligible projects; the funding is retroactive to April 1 to cover any costs cities and provinces have incurred since then.