for acquisition of the “HASTUS 2009”software from the Montréal firm GIRO
Published December 16 , 2009
(TLN)
The Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports and Minister responsible for the Laval, Lanaudière and Laurentides regions, Ms. Michelle Courchesne, is pleased to announce, on behalf of the Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the Mauricie region, Ms. Julie Boulet, that $161,123 subsidy is granted to Société de transport de Laval (STL) for the acquisition of the “HASTUS 2009” software from the Montréal firm GIRO. The aim of this acquisition is to improve the optimization process in the STL’s drive assignment module. This subsidy is disbursed under Government Assistance Program for Public Transit – Subsidies for Capital Expenditures Intended for the Development of Public Transit component, known as Programmed’aide gouvernementale au transport collectif des personnes – volet Subventions aux immobilisations destiné au développement du transport collectif (PAGTCP).
The PAGTCP’s objective is to create conditions favouring public transit with the aim of making this the principal mobility mode. The purpose of the Subsidies for Capital Expenditures component of the PAGTCP is to favour the maintenance, improvement and development of efficient networks and services. The financial assistance is disbursed for the performance of infrastructure projects, acquisition of buses and rolling stock (metro and commuter trains) and different public transit equipment.
Ms. Courchesne recalls that this program is one of the seven programs announced on February 28, 2008 and part of the implementation of the Québec Public Transit Policy Better Choices for Citizens, unveiled on June 16, 2006 by the Gouvernement du Québec.
“Today, we are taking one more step in the achievement of our sustainable mobility objectives for people. These objectives are ambitious and will benefit all Quebecers, by allowing them to have viable options to solo driving. By participating in the funding of equipment used by transit corporations to improve their services, we are investing in sustainable development, a winning solution for Québec society as a whole and for future generations,” Ms. Courchesne concluded.
Remember that the main objective of the Québec Public Transit Policy is to expand public transit ridership by 8% by 2012, through a 16% increase in the services offered to the public. All of the interventions of the Ministère des Transports in public transit funding will total nearly $4.5 billion over the five years of the Policy’s implementation, including $1.1 billion forecast for 2009-2010. Another $411 million from the federal government is added to this amount of $4.5 billion.