The Canadian government is funding the modernization of Yukon’s intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies that will enable smarter connections on the northwestern territory’s trade corridors.
The Government of Canada has announced a C$6.9m (US$5.4m) investment in the modernization of Yukon’s ITS technologies that will enable smarter connections on the region’s major freight corridors by giving users the data and information they need to make safe and efficient decisions. The project will modernize transport infrastructure within seven components of Transport Canada’s ITS architecture:
• Commercial vehicle operations support;
• Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS);
• Frost depth monitoring systems;
• Traffic monitoring systems;
• Structural health and stream monitoring systems;
• Advanced traveler information management systems; and
• ITS enablers.
The project is also expected to have significant economic and employment benefits for the territory by creating 70 quality jobs during its implementation.
The Canadian government is supporting infrastructure projects that contribute most to the country’s continued success in international trade. It is hoping that the projects currently being funded by the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) will:
• Assist economic activity and the physical movement of goods or people in the country;
• Help the transportation system to tackle the climate change effects and ensure if it is able to support new technologies and innovation;
• Address transportation bottlenecks and congestion along Canada’s trade corridors; and
• Increase the fluidity of Canadian trade around the world through its ports, airports, roads, railways, intermodal facilities, bridges, and border crossings.
Transportation is an important element of Canada’s trade with other countries. In 2017, total international merchandise trade amounted to C$1.1tr (US$861bn). The USA continued to be the country’s top trade partner, with C$703bn (US$550bn) in trade, accounting for 63.5% of total Canadian trade in 2017.
“Our government is investing in Canada’s economy by making improvements to our trade and transportation corridors,” explained Canada’s Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau. “We are supporting projects that will efficiently move commercial goods to market and people to their destinations, stimulate economic growth, create quality middle-class jobs, and contribute to the resilience of the Canadian transportation network.”
The Government of Yukon’s Minister of Highways and Public Works, Richard Mostyn, added, “This sophisticated technology will drive future strategic investments in transportation projects. It will also deliver better highway information to the public, and improve safety in Yukon communities.”
