Today, Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable George Heyman, British Columbia’s Minister of Environment, and Michael McDaniel, President of the Coast Mountain Bus Company, announced funding for upgrades to the onboard bus systems and security systems.

Vancouver, British Columbia, May 6, 2021—The safety and well-being of Canadians are top priorities of the governments of Canada and British Columbia. Investments in public transit during this extraordinary time help support regional economies, and make our communities more inclusive and resilient.

Today, Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable George Heyman, British Columbia’s Minister of Environment, and Michael McDaniel, President of the Coast Mountain Bus Company, announced funding for upgrades to the onboard bus systems and security systems.

These updates will improve onboard safety for passengers and drivers and will enhance Vancouver’s transit system by supporting easier route planning, faster communication between dispatch and drivers, and access to up-to-date information. Onboard computer and computer-aided dispatch systems will be replaced, and touch-screen computers and new radio systems will be installed on up to 1,200 buses. In addition, approximately 1,100 vehicle communication routers will be installed, and up to 920 bus security camera systems replaced with higher resolution digital systems.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $15.7 million in this project through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan. TransLink is also contributing over $15.7 million to this project. 

“Safe and reliable public transit systems contribute to making Canadian communities good places to live, work, and raise families, which is why we are investing over $15.7 million to improve onboard technology for public transit in Vancouver.  Together with partners, we will continue to support public transit infrastructure across the country so that people can get where they need to go in faster, safer and cleaner ways. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”

Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country, on behalf of The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“Safe, reliable public transportation that gets people where they need to go is integral to healthy communities and a clean environment. By modernizing technology, TransLink is improving the safety of passengers and drivers, providing faster and more useful information for transit users, and streamlining operations to make the public transit experience even better.”

The Honourable George Heyman, British Columbia’s Minister of Environment and Minister responsible for TransLink

“This much-needed investment allows us to renew the lifecycle of aging technology on our bus and SeaBus fleet. This upgrade is essential to ensuring our customers can continue to rely on our buses for a safe, comfortable ride. I thank our senior government partners for their investment in our fleet, and for helping us keep our buses on the road serving customers.”

Michael McDaniel, President of Coast Mountain Bus Company

Chantalle Aubertin

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

613-941-0660

Chantalle.Aubertin@canada.ca