e-5015 (Transportation)

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of efficient public transit systems, particularly in rapidly growing communities like Gatineau’s western sector. Public transit infrastructure not only eases road congestion and supports economic activities, but it also provides essential access to jobs, education, healthcare, and community services for many Canadians. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has committed $30 billion into thousands of public transit projects across the country.

On June 27, 2024, the Governments of Canada and Quebec jointly committed $163.5 million to fund the planning phase for the Quebec portion of this project. As part of this investment, the Government of Canada has provided up to $65.4 million under Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada’s Public Transit Infrastructure stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). The Public Transit Infrastructure stream of the ICIP supports the building, expansion, and upgrading of urban and rural transit networks that improve service and transforms the way Canadians live, move, and work.

Programs under the stream support major transit lines, the modernization of bus fleets, and the creation of multipurpose paths in communities across the country. These investments help Canadians move around more easily in their communities, create new manufacturing and construction jobs, increase commuting options, reduce emissions and pollution, and make life easier and more affordable.

For the Gatineau–Ottawa tramway project, this funding will support key studies, including the environmental impact assessment, preliminary design, and planning activities that will shape critical decisions—such as the number and placement of stations, the choice of rolling stock, and the construction timeline and budget.

This joint investment will finance the essential studies for a structuring transportation project in Gatineau, aimed at meeting the present and future mobility needs of Gatineau and Ottawa residents with a reliable, high-performance public transit service. 

The Government of Canada is committed to continuing to support public transit systems across the country. In July 2024, the Canada Public Transit Fund (https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/cptf-ftcc/index-eng.html) was announced which will provide $3 billion per year for public transit and active transportation infrastructure, beginning in 2026-27. The Fund will provide stable and predictable funding to address long-term transit goals and aims to:

• Increase the use of public transit and active transportation relative to car travel
• Increase the housing supply and affordability as part of complete, transit-oriented communities
• Help mitigate climate change and improve climate resilience
• Improve public transit and active transportation options for all, especially Indigenous People and equity-deserving groups

The Canada Public Transit Fund will also complement our work to build more homes faster. Through programs like the Housing Accelerator Fund, the Government of Canada is giving cities and towns more money to build more homes under specific conditions, including changing their zoning by-laws to build more housing near transit. To access long-term, predictable funding under the Canada Public Transit Fund, municipalities will need to take actions that directly unlock housing supply.