No. H046/03
For release May 12, 2003

OTTAWA - Transport Minister David Collenette today announced the release of Innovation Through Partnership, Transport Canada’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Research and Development plan. In addition, Mr. Collenette announced the signing of a contribution agreement with the University of Toronto to provide $120,000 for funding of a project called A Thematic Long-Term Approach to Networking for the Telematics and ITS Community (ATLANTIC).

“Innovation is a key part of Straight Ahead - A vision for transportation in Canada, the vision for the future that I released in February,” said Mr. Collenette. “Canada must become a world leader in transportation innovation, to maintain and improve our market position in the global economy and our quality of life in the years to come. Innovation Through Partnership represents an important step forward in meeting this goal.”

The ATLANTIC project will create a Canadian university-based cooperative research network for intelligent transportation systems with links to networks in Europe and the United States. It is organized under the leadership of the University of Toronto and the Université de Montréal. Transport Canada’s funding represents half of the total project cost, with the other half being shared between the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the Ministère des Transports du Québec.

“This project will contribute significantly to meeting the objectives of Canada’s ITS plan,” added Mr. Collenette. “It will stimulate debate, disseminate important research findings, promote university training in ITS, and create strong partnerships between government, academia and industry.”

Funding for this project comes as part of the Government of Canada’s $600 million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP), which was announced on April 3, 2001. Of this, $100 million is designated to fund initiatives that better integrate the transportation system. These include the deployment of intelligent transportation systems across Canada, improvements to border crossings, and better transportation planning.

Since 1999, Transport Canada has provided more than $7.5 million in support of ITS projects and research in Canada. For more information about Transport Canada’s role in ITS, visit the ITS Web site at www.its-sti.gc.ca.

Innovation through Partnership is available electronically at www.its-sti.gc.ca/en/research_and_development.htm

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

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BACKGROUNDER

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) 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 provided more than $7.5 million in support of ITS projects and research in Canada.

The field of ITS encompasses new products and information and communications technologies for the development, operation and regulation of the transportation system. ITS includes 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, 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 ITS across urban and rural Canada. More information on that plan can be found at www.its-sti.gc.ca/en/its_plan_for_canada.htm. The goals are to maximize the use and efficiency of existing infrastructure and meet future mobility needs more responsibly. The ITS Plan provides leadership and support to advance the application and compatibility of ITS technologies to make Canada's transportation system safe, integrated, efficient and sustainable.

May 2003