New parking structure now open at the Oakville GO Station

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO — Lisa Raitt, Member of Parliament for Halton and Minister of Labour; Terence Young, Member of Parliament for Oakville; Kevin Flynn, Member of Provincial Parliament for Oakville; and Gary McNeil, GO Transit president, marked the completion of a new parking structure at the Oakville GO Station.

More than 1,000 new parking spaces were added to the Oakville GO Station to provide better access to public transit for the more than 5,500 commuters who use the station each day. The project created 400 jobs.

“Our government’s top priority is the economy – that’s why we are continuing to invest in infrastructure projects that create jobs and economic growth, and improve public transit in the GTA,” said Minister Raitt.

“I am extremely pleased of my government’s investment in public transit in Oakville,” said MP Young. “Since 2006 we have made unprecedented investments in public transit to create local jobs and support growth. This new parking facility will help take one thousand cars off the crowded QEW each day, improving commute times and reducing stress for Oakville drivers and GO Transit users.”

“Adding more parking spaces is one of the best ways to encourage local commuters to take GO Transit,” said MPP Flynn. “That’s why, since 2003, more than 3,000 parking spaces have been added to the Oakville and Bronte GO Stations, to make it easier for commuters to get to work, school and appointments. Better public transit means a better quality of life for Oakville families.”

“As the Town of Oakville grows, so does GO Transit’s need to satisfy our customers’ requirements,” said Mr. McNeil. “This new parking structure is an important step to attract more people to GO and makes living in Oakville more appealing to residents of the province.”

The new six-storey structure has a covered ground-level drop off and pick up zone that is linked to the train platforms. It also boasts a system to let customers know how many parking spaces are available, and on which level, and a new intersection with signals at Cornwall Road. Eco-friendly features include LED lighting inside and out, solar panels on the roof, and an unique white roof surface that reflects light and reduces the amount of heat absorbed by the building.

The total cost of the parking expansion project was $41.1 million. The Government of Canada is contributing up to $20.55 million, and the Government of Ontario is providing $20.55 million. This project is funded through the GO Transit Improvement Program, a $500-million joint investment announced by Prime Minister Harper and Premier McGuinty on February 17, 2009.

GO Transit is Metrolinx's regional public transit system linking Toronto with the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. GO carries about 62 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services that spans more than 11,000 square kilometres. Metrolinx is an agency of the Province of Ontario. For more information on GO services, visit gotransit.com or follow GO on Twitter and Facebook.

Canada Economic Action Plan 2012 focuses on creating new opportunities for jobs creation, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. Strengthening infrastructure across the country is an important part of this strategy. Thanks to the Government of Canada’s leadership, and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than 822,000 net new jobs created since July 2009. Find out more about the opportunities in Economic Action Plan 2012 at www.budget.gc.ca/2012/home-accueil-eng.html.

Investing in public transit is part of the Government of Ontario's plan to strengthen the economy. A strong economy protects the services that mean most to Ontario families - health care and education.

For additional information about investments in infrastructure, visit infrastructure.gc.ca.

For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit ontario.ca/infrastructure.