'We are going to build a commuter community culture,' Kingston mayor says of transit investment

Thanks to today's announced multi-million-dollar investment from three levels of government, Kingston Transit is adding 13 electric buses to its fleet and improving pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, including new off-road trails, sidewalks, and pedestrian crossings. According to the announcement, the City will also build new transit stations and bus shelters.

Key figures, including Member of Parliament (MP) Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands), Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Ric Bresee (Hastings---Lennox and Addington), Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson, and Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale gathered on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, to announce a significant public transit investment. Totalling more than $83 million, this investment is a combined effort from the federal government, the provincial government, and the municipal governments of Cornwall, Kingston, Peterborough, and Trent Hills. The announcement was made at the new transit stop on Henderson Boulevard in Kingston, near Jim Beattie Park.

Ian Semple, Kingston's Director of Transportation, served as master of ceremonies and led the announcement at Kingston's newest --- and observably busy --- transit station.

Gerretsen called it a “significant day, a significant opportunity” and said, “I'm very proud to represent a city that has taken public transit so seriously over the last couple of decades in terms of taking big risks. I remember back in the day when I was on City Council and certainly continuing on into Mayor Paterson's time, there were a lot of risks that were being taken.”

“Transit,” Gerretsen continued, “is one of those things that you have to build it first and invest in it and then get people on it, and it's not particularly easy… The best transit systems are those that are designed to capture people's wants. When people want to use transit, as opposed to those who just need to use transit, you know that you've genuinely designed a good transit system in a community.”

Gerretsen said he was part of the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, to announce that the federal government is "investing $30 million through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, to support 18 public transit infrastructure projects across four communities in eastern Ontario.”

“I am thrilled that Kingston is continuing to expand in the realm of electric buses. Specifically, the mayor and I had the opportunity to announce the first two buses a number of years ago... and knowing that Kingston is continuing in that direction… and seeing our community continuing to build it this way is great,” the MP concluded.

MPP Ric Bresee, who also acts as parliamentary assistant to Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, spoke on behalf of the provincial government, saying, “Today we're celebrating the significant infrastructure investments that our government is making in eastern Ontario to connect communities and help people get where they're going quickly and easily."

“We know that Ontario is growing and is one of the best places to live in the entire world. In fact, so many people are choosing to live right here in Kingston and throughout eastern Ontario, to keep pace with this growing population we need to keep making smart investments that get people moving,” Bresee said.

“These infrastructure investments fuel our economy,” Bresee said, “and will allow people across eastern Ontario to thrive for generations to come. The funding we're announcing today will have a real and meaningful impact on the day-to-day lives of our residents... We're connecting communities. We're making it easier to get to work, school, doctor's appointments, or anywhere else you might be going. We're getting it done for Ontarians."

Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson said, “We are going to build a system that works, that's attractive for people. We are going to build that commuter community culture here in Kingston.”

He pointed out that, before the COVID-19 pandemic, “for a number of years, Kingston actually led the country in transit ridership growth. We hit a bit of a rough patch during the pandemic for a few years. But it's exciting that this year our transit ridership is now right back where it was before the pandemic and is continuing to grow.”

Paterson continued, "As it continues to grow, we need to make continued investments --- whether it's in electric buses or new transit infrastructure --- making sure that people can get around the city, whether it's to school, or to work, or to other events and activities, and be able to do so in a convenient way that's also environmentally sustainable.”

He noted that his colleagues from City Council, Councillors Paul Chaves, Wendy Stephen, and Conny Glenn, were also present for the announcement, saying, “I think that's a good representation of how much this means to us.”

“But let's be honest: transit requires partnership. For me as mayor, it's exciting to be able to see all three levels of government come together with a common purpose and a common focus: in this case, to be able to invest in such a key priority for our community,” Paterson said.

“It shows the power of what all three levels of government can do when we work together," the mayor emphasized. "I think there are lots of other exciting opportunities where we can have all three levels of government pushing in the same direction… I appreciate it and look forward to seeing the tangible effects of this investment.”

The City of Kingston is investing nearly $25 million toward transit infrastructure updates.

A backgrounder provided by the federal government broke down the investments. Locally, Kingston received $24,578,730 from the federal government and $20,480,227 from the provincial government. The municipality will contribute $24,746,411 to the transit infrastructure upgrades.

Overall, the federal government is investing $30,110,927 through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to support 18 public transit infrastructure projects. The Government of Ontario is contributing $25,131,436. The municipalities of Cornwall, Kingston, Peterborough, and Trent Hills are contributing a combined $28,543,027.