#BoostOfElectricalCarSaleInCanada; #FederalRebateProgram

Ottawa, Aug 7 (Canadian-Media): Canada’s boost in sale of electric cars owing to $5,000 federal rebate program program had resulted in 30 percent more sales of electric cars in Canada between January and June, compared to the year before, media reports said.

Image: Electric Car/Twitter

Transport Canada reported more than 14,000 electric vehicles were purchased nationwide during the first three months of the federal government's new rebate program.

Further details about what kinds of cars were the most popular purchases  by the province have not yet been provided by Transport Canada.

​The increase in the sale was mostly in the two provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, which required a minimum number of electric car sales.

(Reporting by AshaBajaj)

#VancouverInternationalAirport; CanadaBorderServicesAgency; #primaryinspectionkiosksandNEXUSsystemsOutage

Vancouver (B.C.), July 28 (Canadian-Media):  Serious delays for passengers arriving at Vancouver International Airport have been caused due to nationwide outage of the Canada Border Services Agency's primary inspection kiosks and NEXUS systems, media reports said.

Vancouver International Airport/Twitter

According to the airport, the most are international passengers and U.S. passport holders.

A tweet from the airport said passengers are being processed using manual forms, and that they are trying to keep people hydrated.

#AirCanada; #resumesnon-stopToronto-DelhiflightsOct.1

MONTREAL, July 23, (CAnadian-Media): Air Canada, which was named Best Airline in North America for the third consecutive year, announced it will resume its daily, non-stop Toronto-Delhi flights on Oct. 1, 2019 (eastbound) and Oct. 3, 2019 (westbound), media reports said.

Air Canada/AirCanada

Initially the Toronto-Delhi flights will be operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Beginning Oct. 27, additional capacity with 400-seat Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, will be added to this route featuring Air Canada's award-winning Signature Class, Premium Economy and Economy classes of service.

"We are very pleased to resume our daily, non-stop Toronto-Delhi flights in time for Diwali celebrations...we look forward to operating our full schedule to India," said Mark Galardo, Vice President, Network Planning at Air Canada.

"The resumption of Air Canada's direct flights is a most welcome development", said Kasi Rao, President & CEO of the Canada-India Business Council. "At a time of increasing commercial activity between Canada and India...in connecting the business communities in both countries as well as the growing number of tourists, students, families and cargo traffic," said Rao.

Air Canada's seasonal Toronto-Mumbai flights will operate four times weekly from Oct. 27, 2019 until March 28, 2020 with Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

Air Canada will operate up to 18 weekly flights conveniently connecting a multitude of cities in North America to Delhi from both Toronto and Vancouver, and to Mumbai from Toronto.  Customers can also collect and redeem Aeroplan Miles through Canada's leading loyalty program when travelling with Air Canada, and eligible customers have access to priority services, Maple Leaf Lounges and other benefits.

New projects will ease congestion, bring faster commutes and more time with friends and family
July 22, 2019 4:00 P.M.Ministry of Infrastructure
TORONTO — Ontario is delivering on its promise to get people moving with better transit service that will make lives better and ensure Ontario is open for business and jobs.
Starting today, 11 municipalities across the GTHA can apply for funding to support new transit projects through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program Public Transit Stream. These projects, including the five transit projects nominated in Toronto and York Region in May could unlock up to $12.45 billion in federal and provincial funding.
"People in Ontario count on infrastructure to get to work, shop and get home to their families," said Laurie Scott, Minister of Infrastructure. "Our government's investments in the GTHA will make public transit infrastructure better, safer and more accessible."
The Province will continue to work with the federal government, and ask that it further increase funding towards priority transit projects.
"Our economy, our communities and our families all rely on good infrastructure," said Minister Scott. "Ontario's investment towards these projects will build and improve urban transit networks and extend services that will transform the way people live, move and work."
"These projects represent a step forward in helping people and goods move around the GTHA quickly and efficiently," said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. "Combining the resources of the federal and provincial governments helps to deliver on our commitment to a balanced, fiscally-responsible plan for public transit infrastructure projects. These projects will reduce congestion and create new transportation capacity throughout the region."
"We are keeping our promise to invest in and build better public transit," said Kinga Surma, Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA). "Our economy, our communities and our families all rely on good transit infrastructure. We are making strategic investments across the GTA that will drive job creation and reduce travel time for commuters so our province can get moving."
Quick Facts

• Applications for funding is now open to 11 municipalities across the GTHA, and will close on October 24, 2019.
• The eligible municipalities that can apply for funding are Brampton, Burlington, Durham Region, Halton Hills, Hamilton, Milton, Mississauga, Oakville, Peel Region, Toronto and York Region.
• The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is a $30-billion, 10-year infrastructure program cost-shared between federal, provincial and municipal governments. Ontario’s share per project will be up to 33.33 per cent, or $10.2 billion spread across four streams: Rural and Northern, Public Transit, Green, and Community, Culture and Recreation.
• Ontario is currently reviewing over 200 applications received by more than 50 municipalities for transit projects outside the GTHA.
• The government also nominated 15 major transit projects in the City of Toronto, Region of York and City of London to the federal government for approval, as well as 144 road, bridge, air and marine infrastructure projects under the Rural and Northern stream.

#WHO; #FifthUNGlobalRoadSafetyWeek

​Geneva, May 7 (Canadian-Media/WHO): In the context of the Fifth UN Global Road Safety Week (6-12 May 2019), thousands of road safety advocates from around the world are highlighting the need for more effective leadership for road safety, World Health Organization (WHO) media reports said.

Strong leaders - both government and nongovernment alike - are those who #SpeakUp for road safety and act on the concrete interventions which have proven to save lives.

“WHO’s vision is a world free from road traffic deaths and injuries” notes World Health Organization Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “It’s also a world in which all people benefit from universal health coverage, including trauma care, rehabilitation and psychological support for road traffic victims. This week and every week, play your part in making the roads safe for everyone. A safer road for others is a safer road for you.”

​Despite progress, road traffic deaths continue to rise, with an annual 1.35 million fatalities. Road traffic injuries are now the leading killer of children and young people aged 5-29 years. Globally, of all road traffic deaths, pedestrians and cyclists account for 26% and motorcycle riders and passengers account for 28%. The risk of a road traffic death remains three times higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries, with rates highest in Africa (26.6 per 100 000 population) and lowest in Europe (9.3 per 100 000 population).

“Road traffic deaths and injuries are an unacceptable price to pay for mobility,” notes WHO Director, Dr Etienne Krug. “There is no excuse for inaction. This is a problem with proven solutions. Governments and their partners must demonstrate leadership and accelerate action to save lives by implementing what works.”

​In the settings where progress has been made, it is because of strong leadership around legislation on key risks such as speeding, drinking and driving, and failing to use seat-belts, motorcycle helmets and child restraints; safer infrastructure like sidewalks and dedicated lanes for cyclists and motorcyclists; improved vehicle standards such as those that mandate electronic stability control and advanced braking; and enhanced post-crash care.

Among hundreds of other events planned for the road safety week are:

• assessing journeys and generating concrete demands from policy-makers in more than 50 countries - from Brazil to Mongolia and Nigeria to Pakistan – for example, calls for upgrading of pedestrian crossings in Trinidad and Tobago; reducing speed limits in Slovenia; increasing the use of seat-belts in Kazakhstan and child restraints in Chile; enhancing post-crash care by mandating that cars give way to ambulances in India and covering the costs of medical treatment for road traffic victims in Rwanda through a “mutuelle de santé”; and enhancing law and law enforcement generally;
• advocating for safe roads for children in many countries, by installing speed limit signs around schools in Argentina, Senegal and Tunisia, promoting motorcycle helmets for children in Malaysia and training school bus attendants in Nepal;
• showcasing road safety leaders in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Philippines;
• hosting global or national policy fora like the International Roundtable ‘Road Safety and the SDGs – What Target for 2030?’ in the United Kingdom as well as parliamentary discussions including in Tanzania; and
• launching new global initiatives such as the Commonwealth Road Safety Initiative and the first Global Fleet Champions Awards.

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To demonstrate its leadership in road safety, WHO has developed a comprehensive, “Road Safety and Vehicle Management Policy.” The policy aims to ensure that WHO vehicles are operated safely to reduce the risk of road traffic crashes and that its fleet is professionally managed. The policy addresses such issues as the behaviour of WHO staff and drivers on the roads, ensuring that they avoid speeding and drinking and driving and wear seat-belts. The policy introduces driver training, including first aid training, and standardization of the road traffic crash reporting system. Among many other initiatives planned during the road safety week, WHO offices will host various activities to support implementation of the policy.

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Leadership for road safety is a key component of efforts at national and local levels and will be an important theme during the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be hosted by the Government of Sweden in Stockholm on 19-20 February 2020. Delegates from around the world from sectors such as transport, health, interior and others will review progress in the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 and define the urgent steps needed to accelerate action to reach road safety targets, including the 12 newly established global performance targets.
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#NationalResearchCouncilofCanada; #NRC; #AirTravelResearch; #AirbusAmericasEngineering; #IbrahimYimer; #ITB;  #FWSAR; #IndustrialandTechnologicalBenefits; #ScienceandTechnology; 
#FixedWingSearchandRescueAircraftReplacement;  # Spacesciences; #Aerospaceindustry; #Airsafety; #Civilaviation; #Aviation; #Airline; #Aircraft; #Airplanes; #Civilianaircraft; #Airports; #Research; #Ottawa;  #Travelandtourism; #Airtravel; #Aviation; #Airquality; #generalpublic; #media; #scientists; #travellers

Ottawa, Apr 2 (Canadian-Media): Ontario is collaborating with National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canada's largest federal research and development organization, to enhance the air passenger experience with concept development, mockup, demonstration, and user testing,  ​media reports said.

National Research Council of Canada

To better understand people's interaction with the controlled air travel environment, a NRC multidisciplinary team -- specialists  in physiology, psychology, industrial design, engineering, instrumentation, fabrication, and project management -- using the new NRC Centre for Air Travel Research,  is studying human responses to the cabin environment and how new design concepts and emerging technologies on air impact travellers and crew.

The NRC is in the third year of a five-year research collaboration with the Research and Technology team at Airbus Americas Engineering. It uses real people in simulated tests to scientifically evaluate and analyze innovative disruptive concepts, cabin air quality and environmental control systems, passenger comfort, and issues associated with boarding and exiting aircraft.​

Airbus Americas Engineering

"With our new Centre for Air Travel Research and our world-class researchers in human-centric engineering, we can provide the aerospace industry a large-scale end-to-end testing and demonstration platform for the most advanced technologies in passenger comfort and safety,” said Ibrahim Yimer, Director General of Aerospace, National Research Council of Canada

​Analyzing the data gathered during these comprehensive tests, researchers will be able to identify low-cost, high-return changes that can be applied early in the aircraft design process to the benefit of Airbus and its industry customers and for next-generation aircraft.

This research collaboration had been possible partly through Airbus’ Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) and associated with Canada’s Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement (FWSAR) program and supports approximately $2.5 billion (CAD) in ITB activities within the Canadian economy.

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Tourism represents 2 percent of Canada’s gross domestic product,  supports  supports 1.8 million tourism jobs in Canada.

The Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec reported that approximately 355,100 jobs and 32,000 businesses in Quebec were supported by tourism industry.

During her tourism roundtables in Belœil, Cookshire-Eaton, Jonquière and Rimouski, since Nov 2018, Joly gained valuable insight from key tourism stakeholders, which,  she said, would help maximize Canada’s tourism potential.

The creation of Advisory Council on Jobs and the Visitor Economy by Joly before the commencement of her listening tour, would reportedly help identify important issues of Canada's tourism sector as well as  provide advice and recommendations on increasing its competitiveness.

Joly said that would continue her listening tours, which, she hoped would expand tourism opportunities in Canada in attracting new visitors in every region, rural and urban, of the country. 

“Our government knows that tourism helps every part of the country...Their unique experiences and the work of the Council will inform our new federal tourism strategy to maximize Canada’s potential. The future is bright for Canadian tourism,” said Joly.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)

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Bike Month Celebration

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"The City of Toronto is committed to improving how people move around the city," said Mayor John Tory. "That includes investing in bike lanes and other infrastructure so that cycling is safer and easier in Toronto. Cycling is a great way to get around the city, and it's good for fitness and for the environment." 

The City of Toronto, since 1989 has worked with the cycling community encouraging people to get on their bikes.

The City of Toronto is once again partnering with Cycle Toronto to deliver Bike Month programming this year. 

To achieve the City’s target of  80 percent reduction in local greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as identified in its TransformTO Climate Action Strategy, 75 percent of all trips under five kilometres will need to be cycled or walked by 2050.
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