Original Article by M. Wanek-Libman, March 30, 2021
The government of Canada has committed to investing C$250 million (US$198.41 million) over the next five years in transit needs for rural communities. This is the first time the country created a dedicated fund for rural transit needs and the investment is part of the government’s C$14.9 billion (US$11.73 billion) dedicated transit investment announced in February. The funding for rural transit needs will begin in 2021 and is designed to support the “planning and deployment of innovative mobility solutions” in rural communities such as on-demand services, volunteer community carpooling and electric vehicle ride shares. The government notes one in five Canadians live in rural communities and these communities account for nearly 30 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.
