The federal funding will help the City of Medicine Hat upgrade its fleet and scheduling system. File Photo/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

Feds invest $2.6M into Medicine Hat transit upgrades

Jul 4, 2024 | 4:15 PM

Medicine Hat revealed Thursday it received millions of dollars in federal funding that will go towards replacing a dozen buses and upgrading the city’s transit scheduling system.

The Canadian government’s contribution of $2,669,586 accounts for about 33 per cent of the total eligible cost of $8,156,000 for the improvements, with the other $5.4 million coming from the city.

The federal cash, granted via the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s Public Transit Infrastructure Stream, is a worthwhile investment, according to employment minister Randy Boissonnault.

“As communities in Alberta continue to grow, it is vital to have active and rural public transportation infrastructure that meets their evolving needs,” Boissonnault said in a statement Thursday.

“Our government’s investment will encourage Albertans to be active and healthy and contribute to a cleaner environment, creating more resilient and stronger communities for everyone.”

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The city will replace two para-buses and 10 additional buses.

Graphic by CHAT News using information from the City of Medicine Hat.

The para-transit buses are tentatively scheduled to arrive in late 2024 or early 2025, according to a city news release.

The other 10 buses are anticipated to be replaced at a rate of two per year from 2025 to 2029, though these timelines are subject to change.

The bus replacements will cost $8,060,000 in total, with $2,631,186 covered by Ottawa and $5,428,814 paid for by Medicine Hat.

The city’s fleet services manager Cory Earle praised the federal government’s “thoughtfulness and foresight” in creating the funding stream.

“Replacing transit assets is a necessary, yet costly undertaking for municipalities,” Earle said.

“With this funding, the city can maintain the quality and longevity of our transit fleet in a cost-effective manner.”

The $96,000 transit scheduling system project includes a one-time purchase of four years of consulting and scheduling services, along with related data reporting tools.

It will utilize the Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location system which connects transit vehicles to scheduling and dispatching software.

The software collects vital data used by dispatchers for the purpose of improving the quality and efficiency of the city’s existing public transit.

The city anticipates the software will be operational and in use in advance of the annual September shift schedule change.

Federal funding will account for $38,400 of the project while the City of Medicine Hat will provide $57,600.