No. H001/05
For release January 12, 2005

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION 
SYSTEMS PROJECTS FUNDED

OTTAWA — Twenty-five new projects aimed at making transportation in Canada safer, more reliable and efficient will receive funding under Transport Canada's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Plan. The projects range from an advanced traveller information system in British Columbia, to an integrated data and communication management system in Quebec, to a vehicle tracking system for rapid transit in Nova Scotia.

Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre announced that the selected projects will receive a total of $5 million in funding. The 25 winning projects will take place in various locations across Canada.

"The funds devoted to these projects reaffirm the Government of Canada's commitment to accelerating the development and adoption of technologies designed specifically to enhance the transportation system, " said Mr. Lapierre. "These innovations promote safety and security, relieve congestion, improve mobility and minimize the negative environmental impacts related to transportation."

ITS is a new and rapidly developing field, where information processing, communication systems and sensing devices are combined and integrated in creative ways to make the transportation system work more effectively. Centralized traffic management, transit smart cards and electronic tolling are examples of ITS in action.

This initiative supports key departmental objectives designed to promote the adoption of ITS technologies to advance the safety, efficiency and security of our transportation system.

The Government of Canada's $600 million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program dedicates $100 million to funding initiatives that better integrate the transportation system.

Since 1999, Transport Canada has provided more than $18 million in support of ITS projects and research in Canada. The maximum contribution from Transport Canada for each ITS project is $250,000.

For more information about Transport Canada's role in Intelligent Transportation Systems, please visit the ITS website at www.its-sti.gc.ca.

A backgrounder outlining the winning projects is attached.

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BACKGROUNDER

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS PROJECTS

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) comprise a broad range of diverse technologies applied to transportation to make systems safer, more efficient, more reliable and more environmentally friendly. Transport Canada has been actively promoting them, providing more than $18 million in support of Intelligent Transportation Systems projects and research in Canada since 1999.

The field of Intelligent Transportation Systems encompasses new products, information and communications technologies for the development, operation and regulation of the transportation system. They include applications such as advanced systems for traffic management, traveller information and vehicle control, commercial vehicle and fleet management, and public transit and rural transportation. They all have in common the application of advanced technologies in such areas as information processing, communications, and sensing and control — technologies that offer the potential to revolutionize the transportation system.

The following projects have been selected:

City of Burlington
Integrate and deploy video-based technology into the existing traffic management system to provide for enhanced data collection and improved management of the city's streets as traffic conditions change. 
Partners: Region of Halton, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Fortran Traffic Systems and Mohawk College 
Funding awarded: $246,640
Total cost of proposal: $525,800

City of Edmonton
Deploy and integrate Intelligent Transportation Systems at Capilano Bridge to implement a full traffic management and traveller information system.
Partners: IBI Group, EPCOR Utilities
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $829,000

City of Kelowna
Integrate the city and provincial traffic signal systems under a central traffic control system to minimize traffic delays and incorporate transit signal priority.
Partners: British Columbia Ministry of Transportation, British Columbia Transit, IBI Group
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $515,000

Enterprise générale d'initiatives en développement durable 
Undertake a feasibility, planning and integration study to develop and demonstrate a prototype management system for the movement of oversized vehicles.
Partners: Ministère des Transports du Québec
Funding awarded: $100,000
Total cost of proposal: $276,300

City of Toronto 
Establish an advanced traveller information system, for all modes of transportation, for the Greater Toronto Area.
Partners: IBI Group, Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Funding awarded: $200,000
Total cost of proposal: $468,000

Ville de Trois-Rivières
Undertake a pilot project for an integrated data and communication management system for public works vehicles.
Partners: Signaflex, IBI Group, l'Université du Québec 
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $699,000

City of Toronto 
Deploy and integrate an advanced video management system for automatic incident detection into the current traffic management system to better manage incidents throughout the city's arterial and expressway road network. 
Partners: Fortran Traffic Systems
Funding awarded: $150,000
Total cost of proposal: $325,000

City of Guelph 
Deploy an advanced transit management system to assist Guelph Transit in providing efficient and cost-effective service, maintain good customer satisfaction and service reliability.
Partners: University of Guelph
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $600,000

Mississauga Transit
Add a transit signal priority system to the suite of technologies already integrated within Mississauga Transit's Smart Vehicle initiative. This technology will allow vehicle tracking, automatic passenger counting and status monitoring.
Partners: IBI Group, University of Waterloo
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $553,000

IBI Group 
Deploy a web-based interprovincial, inter-agency advanced traveller information system.
Partners: Parks Canada, Alberta Transportation, Alberta Motor Association, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation
Funding awarded: $100,000
Total cost of proposal: $450,000

Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority 
Deploy an integrated regional signal system that facilitates coordinated operation between adjacent jurisdictions and operational agencies.
Partners: Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Delcan Corporation, Township of Langley, City of Langley, City of Surrey, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $830,000

York Region Transit 
Design and deploy an integrated and unified Intelligent Transportation System for transit services in the region.
Partners: LEA Consulting Ltd.
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $500,000

Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (TransLink) 
Implement a regional advanced traveller information system through the deployment of a condition acquisition and reporting system.
Partners: Castle Rock Consultants
Funding awarded: $120,000
Total cost of proposal: $240,000

Ville de Trois-Rivières 
Implement an integrated operations and communications system for police services.
Partners: Signaflex, IBI Group, l'Université du Québec
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $1,529,000

Société de transport de Laval 
Implementation of GPS technology to enhance service and provision of real-time information to travellers.
Partners: none
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $3,250,000

York Region 
Deploy an adaptive traffic control system for the delivery of traffic management and control services.
Partners: Delcan Corporation
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $500,000

Fortran Traffic Systems 
Integrate, deploy and evaluate a graphical intersection monitor into existing advanced transportation management systems in five Canadian municipalities, to improve current intersection visualization tools and operational efficiency. 
Partners: none
Funding awarded: $98,000
Total cost of proposal: $197,040

Halifax Regional Municipality
Implement a pilot deployment for bus rapid transit as an initial step to an integrated corporate vehicle tracking and communication system.
Partners: none
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $500,000

Morrison Hershfield 
Design, develop and deploy a web-based traveller information and trip planning demonstration tool.
Partners: GO Transit
Funding awarded: $34,938
Total cost of proposal: $69,875

GO Transit
Deploy an advanced system to display real-time train information at stations.
Partners: Delcan Corporation
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $500,000

Canadian Urban Transit Association 
Undertake a pilot deployment of an advanced fleet management system throughout the maintenance operations of the Calgary Handi-Bus, a specialized transit service. The technology will be used to improve maintenance and repairs in the special vehicles.
Partners: Calgary Handi-Bus, Cetaris, Transport Adapté Québec Métro, York Region Mobility Plus, Girardin Minibus
Funding awarded: $79,678
Total cost of proposal: $159,355

Corporation Trolley Magog-Orford 
Deploy and evaluate a tourist information system.
Partners: none
Funding awarded: $96,604
Total cost of proposal: $193,208

City of Edmonton 
Undertake an Intelligent Transportation Systems blueprint strategy and partially deploy an integrated transit signal priority and traffic signal control system.
Partners: LEA Consulting, EPCOR Utilities
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $575,000

City of Calgary
Design and implement a dedicated Intelligent Transportation Systems telecommunication network, linking the various components of ITS systems.
Partners: none
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $1,346,301

British Columbia Transit 
Implement a real-time bus arrival notification system for transit passengers of the Victoria handyDART accessible transportation service, which serves seniors and disabled passengers.
Partners: none
Funding awarded: $250,000
Total cost of proposal: $685,000

For further information, please visit the Intelligent Transportation Systems website at www.its-sti.gc.ca.

January 2005