By now, most visitors to Transit Toronto know about Prime Minister Stephen Harper announcing that the federal government would fund the northern extension of the Spadina Subway by six stations through York University to Vaughan. (See James Bow’s posting of March 5 for details.)

But the Prime Minister and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty also announced that their governments would fund other transit projects in the Greater Toronto Area.

Developing Brampton’s AcceleRide inter-regional transportation system

Both governments have committed funds totalling $190 million. The project would see bus rapid transit lines on Queen Street (Highway 7) and Main Street (Highway 10 / Hurontario Street). The first phase will be operating by 2010 and the second by 2021. You can find more information on this project here and here.

Building the Mississauga bus rapid transit corridor

Both governments have committed funds totalling $173 million. The system will be operating by 2012. The project extends from Ridgeway Drive at Highway 403 to Renforth Drive and Eglinton Avenue West in the City of Toronto. The corridor runs along the north side of Highway 403 and then, west of Mavis Road, will enter a tunnel beneath the Highway to reach Mississauga Transit’s City Centre terminal. The busway will then continue along the south-side of Highway 403 and the north side of Eastgate Parkway and Eglinton Avenue.

Stations will be: Ridgeway, Winston Churchill, Erin Mills, Creditview, Mavis, City Centre, Hurontario, Central Parkway, Cawthra, Tomken, Dixie, Fieldgate, Fieldgate North, Spectrum, Orbitor, Renforth. Winston Churchill and Erin Mills stations will include “Park ‘n’ Ride facilities. Creditview Station may include a future connection to GO Transit’s Georgetown train.

GO Transit will also use this corridor. It describes some aspects of this project and bus rapid transit in general in the Winter / Spring 2007 edition of its GO News.

Enhancing York Region Transit’s Viva bus rapid transit system.

This is a three-stage, 20-year proposal and both governments have committed funds totalling a maximum of $170 million. The proposals include bus-only lanes on Yonge Street between Finch Station and Highway 7 and on Highway 7 between Yonge Street and Markham Road.

Unspecified funding for developing a rapid transit system in Durham Region by 2009.