VICTORIA -- Communities across British Columbia may soon see new bus shelters popping up in their neighbourhoods.
All three levels of government are spending a combined $3.9 million to install approximately 150 new and refitted bus shelters across the province.
The new bus shelters are intended to improve safety, accessibility and create jobs during the pandemic. The province notes that construction is being tailored to each bus shelter, with attention being paid to weather-specific upgrades, lighting and seating.
With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting revenue for public transit systems across the country, the federal government has earmarked $86 million for BC Transit through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream (PTIS).
As of Monday, the province had funded a range of transit projects through PTIS, including the installation of 250 bus shelters, a new dedicated bus lane in Victoria and a new handyDART facility in Victoria.
Replacement buses, electric buses and the introduction of the Next Ride smart fare technology have also been funded in part by PTIS.
"Bus shelters are important transit infrastructure that provide people a safe and dry place to wait for the bus," said Rob Fleming, B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure in a release Monday.
"We are happy to join with our federal and local government partners on supporting new and improved bus shelters in communities throughout B.C., helping to encourage more people to choose public transit and making our neighbourhoods more affordable, accessible and inclusive," he said.
Both the federal and provincial government are contributing $1.9 million each to the project, while local governments are providing $986,000.
