No. H168/06
For release November 29, 2006

THE GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND ONTARIO
TEAM UP TO FUND RESEARCH TO MAKE ONTARIO
TRANSPORTATION SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE 

OTTAWA - The governments of Canada and Ontario today announced they will invest a total of $930,000 in research and development projects on intelligent transportation systems. These projects have the potential for making transportation in Ontario safer, more reliable and efficient. Each government will contribute $465,000 for projects beginning now through to September 30, 2008.

The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Ontario Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield made the announcement.

“Canada’s growth and competitiveness in world markets depend on innovation and creativity,” said Minister Cannon. “This funding will help researchers in their efforts to make Ontario’s transportation system safer, more efficient and more sustainable.”

“Intelligent transportation systems can help deliver an integrated transportation network that supports the economic well-being and quality of life that Ontarians deserve,” said Minister Cansfield. “These research projects will help us understand how we can integrate transit and highway planning.”

The University of Toronto will oversee three projects totalling $264,000, expected to be complete by fall 2008. Two of the projects will explore ways to make transit more convenient and attractive for passengers by increasing the level of service and making transit schedules and routes more flexible.

A third project will explore changes in the movement of goods by commercial vehicles that will provide up-to-date information on heavily used truck routes, which will help in planning and investing in future highway improvements.

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

The intelligent transportation systems initiative supports key Transport Canada objectives designed to promote the adoption of intelligent transportation systems technologies to advance the safety, security and efficiency of our transportation system.

These projects support Ontario’s intelligent transportation systems plan to enhance and improve the province’s transportation network. Innovative new technologies will help achieve the goal of building a safe, effective and integrated transportation system that supports economic prosperity and helps meet future transportation needs.

This initiative is funded by the governments of Canada and Ontario under the $600-million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program, which dedicates $100 million for initiatives that better integrate the country’s transportation system. One of these is the $30-million 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.

A backgrounder with further information on intelligent transportation systems is attached.

For more information about Transport Canada’s role in intelligent transportation systems, please visit the ITS website at www.its-sti.gc.ca.

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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 $23 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 integrated application of advanced technologies, including information processing, communications, and sensing and control.

The goals are to maximize the use and efficiency of existing infrastructure and meet future mobility needs more responsibly.

Federal funding is provided under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program, a $600-million program to improve highway infrastructure across Canada. The program 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 intelligent transportation system initiatives.

For further information, please visit the intelligent transportation systems website at www.its-sti.gc.ca.

November 2006