RICHMOND HILL, April 16, 2015 - A new transit operations, maintenance and storage facility is complete in the Town of Richmond Hill that will support transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
The facility has been built to store and maintain York Region Transit/Viva bus rapid transit vehicles, and is located near Leslie Street and 16th 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 Harper Government is investing in projects, like this one, that create jobs, encourage increased ridership on public transit, improve safety and reduce congestion for Ontarians,” said Costas Menegakis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. “By investing in transit infrastructure we are helping to ensure economic growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians.”
“The Ontario government is committed to making transportation investments that benefit the entire region,” said the Honourable Steven Del Duca, Ontario Minister of Transportation. “Facilities such as this one make a difference in our communities by building the infrastructure our transit systems need to thrive. This is proof of our government’s commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for Ontario families.”
“We’re pleased to see all levels of government coming together to make these large infrastructure projects happen,” said Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and CEO, The Regional Municipality of York. “This ‘home base’ for transit will enhance transit operations in York Region and help better serve our Viva network.”
The total construction cost was approximately $135 million. The Government of Canada contributed approximately $57 million through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund [CSIF], 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. The total estimated cost for this project is $170 million, with the federal government committing up to $85 million.
This project is part of the broader vivaNext rapid transit network, which includes the York Viva 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 in action – Metrolinx’s 25-year plan to implement a common vision for transportation in the GTHA. For more information, please visit www.metrolinx.com.
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.
For more information, contact:
Sarah Harris
York Region Rapid Transit Corporation
905-886-6767
sarah.harris@york.ca
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
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Patrick Searle
Minister’s Office
Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Toronto
416-327-1815
Bob Nichols
Communications
Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Toronto
416-327-1158