No. H025/05
For release February 17, 2005

GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND MANITOBA TO 
FUND INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

OTTAWA — Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board and Minister Responsible for Manitoba, on behalf of Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre, along with Manitoba Transportation and Government Services Minister Ron Lemieux, today announced the signing of two contribution agreements for the development and deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems that will benefit the province's commercial transportation industry. Funding for the two agreements totals approximately $1.7 million and will be used primarily to develop and deploy a commercial vehicle permit automation system.

Under the first agreement, the Governments of Canada and Manitoba will each contribute $405,435 toward the research and development of a commercial vehicle permit automation system that will efficiently generate required permits in one step. The system will also allow permit agents to determine a carrier's safety fitness rating and compliance history, store statistical data, simplify reporting, and automatically calculate fees. Under the second agreement, the two governments will each contribute $451,750 to deploy the permit automation system as well as another Intelligent Transportation Systems project currently being finalized.

"This research will make commercial vehicle permit systems more efficient," said Mr. Alcock. "The Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadians and Manitobans alike find innovative ways to improve our transportation system and to implement new technologies."

Intelligent Transportation Systems consist of a broad range of technologies designed to make transportation safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.

"The application of Intelligent Transportation Systems helps make Canada's roads safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly," said Mr. Lapierre. "Today's announcement demonstrates the commitment the Governments of Canada and Manitoba have made to improving Manitoba's road networks."

"Truck transportation not only is responsible for some 33,000 person-years of direct or indirect employment throughout the province, but it also handles about 95 per cent of goods moved within Manitoba," said Mr. Lemieux. "The federal support underscores the national economic importance of developing intelligent transportation systems and how crucial it is to our future ability to remain competitive in the North American and global transportation markets."

Federal funding will be provided under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program, a $600 million program to improve highway infrastructure across Canada. Part of this funding – $100 million – is for initiatives that better integrate the country's transportation system. One of these is the Intelligent Transportation Systems initiative, which includes applications such as advanced systems for traveller information, traffic management, public transport, commercial vehicle operations, emergency response management and vehicle safety. 

Funding for this program is provided for in the existing financial framework.

A backgrounder with further information on Intelligent Transportation Systems is attached.

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BACKGROUNDER

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

Intelligent Transportation Systems are a broad range of diverse technologies applied to transportation to make systems safer, more efficient, more reliable and more environmentally friendly, without necessarily having to physically alter existing infrastructure. Transport Canada has been promoting them aggressively and has announced nearly $20 million in support of Intelligent Transportation System projects and research in Canada.

The field of Intelligent Transportation Systems encompasses new products and information and communications technologies for the development, operation and management of the transportation system. They include applications such as advanced systems for traveller information, traffic management, public transport, commercial vehicle operations, emergency response management and vehicle safety. They all have in common the application of advanced technologies, including information processing, communications, and sensing and control — technologies that put transportation systems at the core of an innovation revolution.

The Government of Canada's Intelligent Transportation Systems Plan for Canada: En Route to Intelligent Mobility (1999) sets out the strategy for stimulating the development and deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems across urban and rural Canada. More information on that plan can be found on the Intelligent Transportation Systems website. The goals are to maximize the use and efficiency of existing infrastructure and meet future mobility needs more responsibly. The Intelligent Transportation Systems Plan provides leadership and support to advance the application and compatibility of Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies and to increase the safety, integration, efficiency and sustainability of Canada's transportation system. 

For further information, please visit the Intelligent Transportation Systems website. 

February 2005