The City of Fredericton announced on Thursday that it is partnering with the federal government to bring enhancements to the Fredericton Transit system.
Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers made the announcement with MP Jenica Atwin, who appeared on behalf of Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
“The benefits of investing in public transit are clear – they make our communities greener and more inclusive,” said Atwin.
“This funding will improve Fredericton’s transit system to make it safer, easier to access and more capable of meeting the needs of Frederictonians, especially those who rely on public transit to get to work or school.”
Ottawa will chip in more than $452,000 through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The city is investing more than $679,000.
Fredericton Transit travels on 12 different routes using 28 low-floor buses and carries more than one million passengers per year.
With the funding, city officials will purchase a closed-circuit television system (CCTV) and an automated passenger tracking system for its fleet. In addition, funds will go toward making bus stops more accessible for disabled residents.
The city also plans to purchase a new, low-floor, accessible bus to replace an aging bus.
“I want to thank the Government of Canada for their contribution to improving Fredericton’s transit system,” said Rogers.
“A new transit bus, automatic passenger counters, a closed-circuit television system and ongoing efforts to make our transit stops more accessible will help with the implementation of initiatives identified in our 2019 Transit Strategic Plan and support our overarching goal of increasing ridership in our capital city.”