Sprawling new bus maintenance facility for Hamilton, Ont. to cost $264M

Half a billion dollars in funding will support construction of a new bus maintenance and storage facility in Hamilton, Ont. and six other public transit projects.

The federal, provincial and municipal governments announced nearly $519 million in funding for the city July 19, with half destined for work on a new 650,000 sq. ft. (60,000 square-metre) bus servicing hub.

Coupled with $3.4 billion in backing for the revived Haimlton light rail transit project this spring, Mayor Fred Eisenberger said the funding marks a “generational” investment in the city.

“This will allow us to expand transit like never before, making it faster, more affordable, more reliable and more convenient,” he said in a release.

The new bus facility will include 30 maintenance bays, storage areas for 200 conventional buses, administrative space and a four-level parkade.

Funds for replacing the city’s Birch Avenue Bridge, purchasing new buses and road upgrades to allow for a 16-kilometre priority bus route are among the other projects included in the funding package.