The federal government announced today that Selkirk will share in more than $120 million in funding for capital investment in its transit system.
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, announced a federal investment for the communities of Selkirk, Winnipeg and Brandon, providing predictable and long-term support tied to greater density near transit in cities.
“We are committed to building high quality and affordable public transit, and this new long-term funding will make a big difference,” said Erskine-Smith.
“This investment will support the modernization and maintenance of transit infrastructure in these three communities. It will help create more sustainable, transit-oriented communities that are better connected to jobs, vital services, and opportunities.”
A win for Selkirk Transit
Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson said the funding announcement is good news for Selkirk and its citizens.
“This stable and predictable funding from the federal government will play a critical role in allowing us to provide sustainable, affordable, and accessible transportation options for our citizens,” Johannson said.
“Public transit fights climate change, supports economic growth, and promotes social inclusion within our communities. This long-term, and visionary investment will help us build a more sustainable, vibrant, and connected Selkirk.”
Mayor Larry Johannson
“Public transit fights climate change, supports economic growth, and promotes social inclusion within our communities. This long-term, and visionary investment will help us build a more sustainable, vibrant, and connected Selkirk.”
The funding is provided through the new Canada Public Transit Fund’s Baseline Funding stream and the three Manitoba cities will receive a combined annual allocation of more than $12 million over 10 years, beginning 2026. In total, more than $120 million will help the cities upgrade, replace, and modernize their public transit infrastructure and maintain it in a state of good repair.
Councillor John Buffie, who sits on the Selkirk Transit Authority Board, highlighted the importance of the funding.
“This is a big win for Selkirk Transit. This investment will help us improve our public transit and continue to focus on making transit more accessible and easier for citizens to use every day,” Buffie said.
“It’s a win for the environment and it’s a win for the community, and it’s going to help create a more connected, sustainable city.”
Supporting green initiatives and smart planning
Selkirk Chief Administrative Officer Duane Nicol said the capital funding will allow the city to invest in transit infrastructure. Selkirk’s share will be about $57,000 per year, which is stable, predictable funding.
“From a capital standpoint, it’s significant for the City of Selkirk,” Nicol said.
“It’s a really meaningful contribution that will allow us to invest in better buses, plan and make smarter long-term decisions for the type of equipment that we are going to purchase. It also supports our transition to low-to-no-emission vehicles and it works into our asset management programs. We have a long-term plan for buses but part of the challenge is that buses are expensive and these additional dollars will help.”
Nicol said though low-to-no-emission vehicles are more expensive up front, the operating costs are much lower.
The city currently has one hybrid mobility bus in its fleet.
Expanding transit services
The capital funding is important as well because it will allow the city to shift funds that would have gone toward capital investment into other enhancements.
“Money that would’ve had to go into the capital side of things we can now look at using to enhance services on the operating side of public transit to encourage more ridership, provide more convenient and expanded service,” Nicol said.
“Money that would’ve had to go into the capital side of things we can now look at using to enhance services on the operating side of public transit to encourage more ridership, provide more convenient and expanded service.”
Duane Nicol, Selkirk CAO
“So while the federal dollars don’t fund those things, they do create fiscal room for the city to look at service level enhancements.”
Further funding could come from the provincial government, Nicol said, if it decides to reinstate its 50/50 cost sharing for transit net loss, which it stopped providing in 2017.
“Our provincial support has essentially been frozen since 2017 and now would be a great time for the Province of Manitoba to re-enter the partnership with transit, allowing municipalities to look at how we can expand and enhance transit services all across Manitoba, but particularly for us in Selkirk,” Nicol said.
The Canada Public Transit Fund is the largest public transit investment in Canadian history. It is designed to meet the unique needs of communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas to mid-size and smaller communities, including rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities.
