No. H 131/09
For release - September 18, 2009
Governments join together to break ground on transit line and unveil Züm brand name
BRAMPTON — Today in an outdoor groundbreaking ceremony, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Canada's Minister of Finance, Linda Jeffrey, Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Transportation, and Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell launched the start of construction for Brampton's new bus rapid transit (BRT) service, and officially unveiled its new name — Züm.
Today marks the one-year countdown to the launch of service along Queen Street.
"Our government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, invested in this project for several important reasons: to give residents in Brampton and its neighbouring communities more transit options, cut commute times and improve air quality," said Minister Flaherty. "With construction underway now, this project is helping stimulate the economy by getting the local community to work."
"The new Züm service shows that when we work together we can put more people onto transit while creating much-needed jobs across the province," said Parliamentary Assistant Jeffrey.
"Brampton is proud of its reputation for being a leader in public transit delivery," said Mayor Fennell. "Brampton Transit's new service — Züm — will link riders to key transit hubs within the city and throughout the Greater Toronto Area, and provide residents with a frequent, reliable and affordable alternative to conventional urban commuting. We are confident that Bramptonians will see Züm as the new way to connect with people and places."
The new BRT service will provide Brampton residents with a cost-effective alternative to driving while commuting within the city and throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
The Züm project will be delivered in two phases. The first phase will be implemented between 2009 and 2012 with service being provided along the following corridors:
- September 2010: Queen Street from downtown Brampton to York University;
- September 2011: Main Street from Sandalwood Parkway to Mississauga City Centre; and
- September 2012: Steeles Avenue from Shoppers World to Humber College.
The second phase will be implemented by 2021 with new service along Bovaird Drive from the Mount Pleasant GO station in Brampton to Airport Road and with extensions to the initial three lines.
The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Brampton are equal funding partners in this $285-million project. The Government of Canada is contributing a total of up to $95 million for both phases of this project. Up to $53 million in federal funding is designated for Phase 1 of the project, and an additional $42 million will be provided via a memorandum of understanding for Phase 2. This project is a part of FLOW, the Government of Canada's transportation action plan for the GTA, designed to reduce congestion, cut commute times, help clear the air and help drive the economy in the GTA.
The Province of Ontario has already advanced its contribution of $95 million to the City of Brampton to support the project. Ontario's funding was provided through the Move Ontario initiative announced in Ontario's 2006 budget.
The City of Brampton is also contributing $95 million towards this new service.
Brampton's new BRT system, launching in 2010, will further improve service along key, high-demand corridors, encourage increased commuter usage and connect residents more efficiently with transit networks across the GTA. For more information, visit www.bramptontransit.com.
For more information on Ontario's transit investments, visit www.ontario.ca/transportation-news.
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