Federal, Provincial, Municipal Infrastructure Announcement July 18, 2023

MHA John Abbott, MP Joanne Thompson, Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O'Leary and Councillor Chelsea Lane stand holding map of shared use path in front of them

A joint investment of $11.8 million from the Provincial and Federal Governments and the City of St. John’s was announced today to enhance public transit infrastructure.

This funding will support:

the purchase of up to 18 accessible, paratransit hybrid or electric vehicles to replace the current gasoline-burning fleet used in the GoBus service in St. John’s and Mount Pearl
solar panel kits to be installed on 120 Metrobus shelters, which will allow the city to illuminate the shelters using solar energy instead of electricity
the construction of a shared-use path from Logy Bay Road to Portugal Cove Road. This project will upgrade the existing gravel trails to a three-metre wide asphalt surface with rest areas, trailheads, landscaping and signage.

Read the Provincial release

The City's contribution to these projects is $3.1M.

Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O'Leary attended the announcement on behalf of Council.

"With 49% of our GHG emissions coming from transportation, the funding that is being announced today is going to go a long way to support our efforts to conserve energy, reduce our transportation costs and our carbon footprint," said the Deputy Mayor. "Whether you take the bus, walk, cycle, use a mobility aid or drive a vehicle, St. John’s aspires to be a City on the Move, as outlined in our strategic plan. Building an accessible and well-connected transportation system is an important part of creating a healthy and vibrant community."