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Background
The Intelligent Transportation Systems
Office, Surface Transportation Policy at Transport Canada has been allocated
$30 million to lead the planning, development, and implementation of a
comprehensive policy framework in support of the Intelligent Transportation
Systems (ITS) Plan for Canada.
The ITS Plan provides the leadership and support necessary to advance
the application and compatibility of ITS technologies to make Canada's
transportation system safe, integrated, efficient and sustainable.
Canada's ITS Plan is built upon five interconnected pillars:
- Partnerships for Knowledge - the essential building block
- Canada's ITS Architecture - a solid foundation
- A Multi-modal ITS Research and Development (R & D) Plan - fostering
innovation
- Deployment and Integration of ITS Across Canada - moving forward
- Strengthening Canada's ITS Industry - global leadership
Objectives
One of Transport Canada's key result commitment is a competitive, integrated,
efficient and effective transportation system. This initiative will contribute
to this key result as projects considered for funding will need to advance
one or more of the following objectives:
- improve mobility and transportation efficiency, productivity, safety
and security for passengers and freight;
- support tourism, trade and traffic flows on north-south and east-west
surface transportation corridors;
- improve connections between modes, electronic commerce implementation
and other strategic data exchange at transfer points and ports of entry;
- increase operational and regulatory efficiencies for system users
and public agencies;
- reduce environmental impacts including air emissions and increase
the use of alternative transportation modes, especially in urban areas;
- improve traveler information; and,
- data collection for more effective policy planning and operational
management.
Eligible Recipients and Amount of Contribution
Eligible recipients are provinces/territories, municipalities, First
Nations, private enterprises, academia, public or private transportation
authorities/agencies and not-for-profit organizations.
Federal funding will be capped at a maximum of 50% of total eligible
project costs. The maximum contribution amount for provinces/territories
will be $250,000 per approved project, for the next solicitation of proposals.
Funding Approach
Similar to the initial call for proposals undertaken in March 2000, funding
for these initiatives will not be based on a provincial/territorial allocation
formula. Some funding will be allocated for strategic national high priority
projects (e.g. Cross-Canada Road Weather Information System (RWIS); Cross-Canada
Commercial Vehicle Operations) while the balance will be allocated on
the basis of calls for proposals. The Applicant's guide is being updated
and will be issued for the next call for proposals.
Eligible Projects
The type of initiatives eligible for a federal contribution include:
- feasibility and integration studies that assess and guide the deployment
of ITS;
- proposals for deployment of ITS systems;
- systems integration projects to achieve interoperability and compliance
with Canada's ITS architecture;
- pilot ITS projects involving intergovernmental and private sector
co-operation; and,
- ITS projects of national scope or that promote cross-Canada applications.
Selection Criteria
Solicited proposals will be evaluated by a federal interdepartmental
committee. Priority shall be given to funding projects that meet the majority
of the following criteria:
- advance the objectives of the Intelligent Transportation Systems
(ITS) Plan for Canada;
- demonstrate that the proposal responds to an identified need and
is part of a comprehensive plan of fully integrated ITS systems;
- demonstrate conformity with the ITS architecture for Canada and interoperability
with the U.S. architecture and adopted North American standards;
- demonstrate co-operation among agencies and jurisdictions and encourage
the involvement and financial commitment of the private sector, as evidenced
by signed memoranda of understanding;
- demonstrate co-operation with U.S. partner agencies and jurisdictions
and/or consistency with corridor development and NAFTA border facilitation
efforts and harmonization efforts;
- consistent with applicable federal/provincial legislative and regulatory
obligations (e.g. safety, environmental);
- minimize the relative percentage of all federal contributions to
total project costs;
- ensure continued, long-term operations and maintenance without continued
reliance on federal funding;
- demonstrate technical capacity for effective operations and maintenance
or commitment to acquiring necessary skills;
- do not compromise safety and the environment;
- include an evaluation framework;
- in the case of rural areas, meet other safety, mobility, geographic
and regional diversity, or economic development criteria, if any, as
established by the federal government; or
- in the case of urban areas, federal funding is used primarily for
activities necessary to integrate intelligent transportation infrastructure
elements that are either deployed or to be deployed with other sources
of funds.
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