News Release

HRM Awarded Funding through Federal EcoMOBILITY Funding Competition

(Friday, January 9, 2009) - Mayor Peter Kelly announced today that Halifax Regional Municipality has been awarded $105,000 through the EcoMOBILITY funding competition sponsored by Transport Canada. The EcoMOBILITY program works with provinces, municipalities and regional transportation authorities to help develop initiatives that encourage commuters to choose public transit or other alternatives to personal vehicles.

"HRM''s funding will be used to continue building its SmartTrip program, to fund a pilot program called Guaranteed Ride Home, and to explore the development of new and innovative funding sources to encourage sustainable commuting methods," says Mayor Kelly.

"The SmartTrip program, which launched the successful HRMSmartTrip.ca ride-matching website last October, strives to promote commuting through means other than single-occupant vehicles," explains Mayor Kelly. "The Guaranteed Ride Home pilot program addresses the fact that one of the reasons commuters hesitate to take public transportation or carpooling to work is the lack of flexibility if they have to stay late due to work commitments or respond to emergencies at home that might arise. The Guaranteed Ride Home Pilot will provide participants an opportunity to receive a free taxi ride home when such incidents occur."

Mayor Kelly stated that keeping up with growing traffic demand is becoming less affordable and less socially acceptable and that aggressive measures must be taken to encourage other methods of commuting. The fact that HRM has received funding support through a nation-wide funding competition is evidence of how innovative and progressive the Municipality has been in developing sustainable commuting solutions such as the SmartTrip program.

With the cash contributions from the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission and Conserve Nova Scotia, the total funding for these initiatives is $245,000.

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Contact:

Mayor Peter Kelly
490-4010