The federal government is ready to spend $160M to help Saskatoon's transit system. Here's why the city can't access it.

File photo of Saskatoon Transit bus.

As the City of Saskatoon struggles to maintain its aging bus fleet, $160 million in federal transit cash has been sitting out of reach since 2018.

That's because the Saskatchewan government has not submitted any projects under a federal program dedicated to funding public transit.

A spokesperson for Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the province has not applied for funding under the public transit stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP).

"We expect them to be a partner in making transit investments to ensure that residents in Saskatoon and across the province can benefit from high-quality, reliable public transit," Jean-Sébastien Comeau said.

"We have been able to advance major transit projects worth billions of dollars in communities across the country in the last number of years. We look forward to being able to do the same in Saskatchewan."

This winter, the city's bus fleet has been hit hard by a repair parts shortage, leading to trip cancellations due to mechanical issues.

Last week director Jim McDonald told media that the city's fleet is growing smaller each year and that's making it hard to weather the current repair parts shortage. Saskatoon Transit hasn't had any new vehicles added to the fleet in the past four years, he said.

Transit's 2021 asset management plan noted a similar concern.

"Saskatoon Transit's assets are in a good state of repair and fulfill their required function. However, due to the absence of funding for the last three years, while negotiating the release of the (ICIP) funds with contributing amounts from the province and the City of Saskatoon, the fleet is starting to suffer, particularly the fixed-route equipment," the plan said.

Robert Clipperton, a committee member with Bus Riders of Saskatoon, said having access to the $160 million would mean far less maintenance for Saskatoon's fleet.

"If it comes to major mechanical repairs, we're talking about engine replacements, you wouldn't have to do those, right? And they talk about 'cannibalizing' old buses for parts, " Clipperton said.

"Well, if you have 30 new buses and take your 30 least roadworthy buses off the road, you're going to have far fewer breakdowns, and you're going to have far fewer service alerts."

Clipperton believes the holdup may come down to politics, particularly the ongoing friction between Premier Scott Moe and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

He acknowledged that the province would have to help pay for ICIP transit projects, but noted the 2021 provincial budget included $830 million for highways improvements.

"So it's a political decision, right?"

In an emailed statement, McDonald confirmed the province has not formally opened up an intake under ICIP’s public transit stream.

"In terms of transit, the City of Saskatoon has been working with ministry officials on various projects that are eligible within the public transit stream. At the core, these projects are in the context of supporting Saskatoon’s larger Bus Rapid Transit project, which does include a new fleet of busses," he said.

McDonald said the city has been applying for other federal funding to address "short-and-medium-term transit priorities."

"We will continue to work with all orders of government to help support Saskatoon’s priority infrastructure projects. We are confident that we will be able to use ICIP to address our short-and-medium-term transit priorities."

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations provided a written statement in response to an interview request.

"The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to investing in municipal infrastructure throughout the province, including through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP)," spokesperson Jonathan Tremblay said.

"To date, more than $39.5 million in provincial funding has been provided to the City of Saskatoon under ICIP. The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to working with the City of Saskatoon to identify their investment priorities under ICIP."

That $39.5 million has gone toward several projects that likely would have been classified under the green infrastructure or community, culture and recreation infrastructure streams.

The projects run the gamut from nearly $1.4 million for improvements to the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan festival site and almost $7 million for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex to more than $2.6 million for drainage improvements in Montgomery Place and close to $6.5 million for the city's waste recovery and transfer facility.

A single transit-related project has yet to be funded under the plan.

Tremblay said more ICIP applications for projects are expected to happen, as it is a 10-year program ending in 2028.

ICIP is meant to provide long-term, stable funding delivered to help communities reduce air and water pollution, provide clean water, increase resilience to climate change and create a clean-growth economy; build strong, dynamic and inclusive communities; and ensure Canadian families have access to modern, reliable services that improve their quality of life, according to Infrastructure Canada.

Under ICIP, Canada will provide up to 50 per cent funding for public transit rehabilitation projects and up to 40 per cent for new public transit construction and expansion projects.

Over $33 billion is to be delivered through bilateral agreements between Infrastructure Canada and each of the provinces and territories.