No. H126/05
For release June 6, 2005

GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND 
SASKATCHEWAN INVEST $876,000 IN INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS FOR SASKATCHEWAN

OTTAWA — Finance Minister Ralph Goodale, on behalf of Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre, along with Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation Minister Maynard Sonntag, today announced a contribution agreement between the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan for the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems in the province.

Under the agreement, the two governments will each contribute approximately $438,000 for the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies in the province.

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

The first project to be deployed involves the installation of three Remote Vehicle Inspection Stations using weigh-in-motion technology, in Carlyle, Weyburn and Prince Albert. This new technology weighs and measures commercial vehicles without requiring them to stop at roadside weigh stations. It also allows enforcement agencies to pre-screen vehicles for compliance with provincial regulations. Data collected during the period of this project will be analyzed to provide information supporting further Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies in other rural parts of the province.

"This is great news for the province of Saskatchewan," said Mr. Goodale. "Initiatives like this show how important technology and innovation are to the Government of Canada and for the well being of Canadians in every region and every province."

"These new technologies present great opportunities to improve the safety of Canada’s road systems," said Mr. Lapierre. "The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are pleased to be a part of this deployment process."

"This technology will help the province monitor commercial truck traffic on the provincial highway system," said Mr. Sonntag. "This will improve safety for the public by protecting transportation infrastructure from overweight trucks."

The Province of Saskatchewan intends to deploy additional projects under the newly signed agreement, in support of its Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan.

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 ITS initiative, which includes applications such as advanced systems for traveller information, traffic management, public transport, commercial vehicle operations, emergency response management and vehicle safety.

Federal 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 used to make transportation systems safer, more efficient, more reliable and more environmentally friendly, without necessarily having to physically alter existing infrastructure. Since 1999, Transport Canada has been promoting them aggressively and has provided more than $20 million in support of Intelligent Transportation Systems projects and research in Canada.

Intelligent Transportation Systems encompass 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, which helps 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. 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.

Federal funding is provided under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP), a $600 million program to improve highway infrastructure across Canada. Announced in April 2001, SHIP has two components, a $500 million highway construction component and a $100 million national system integration component of which $30 million is designated to fund ITS initiatives.

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

June 2005