Brampton, ON – Sonia Sidhu, Member of Parliament for Brampton South, delivered a message to her constituents regarding the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to supporting the integration of connected and automated vehicles that will create Canada’s transportation system of tomorrow.

Connected and automated vehicles refer to vehicles that have varying degrees of automation, including self-driving cars, and vehicles that can communicate with drivers, other vehicles, and the environment around them.

“Connected and automated vehicles have the potential to improve road safety, reduce congestion, increase mobility, protect the environment, and generate new economic opportunities for middle-class Canadians” said MP Sidhu. “Our government is committed to ensuring Canada remains a leader in innovation and is ready for the world of tomorrow”.

In order to help Canadian jurisdictions prepare for connected and automated vehicles, Transport Canada is providing $2.9M in funding under the Program to Advance Connectivity and Automation in the Transportation System

In particular, funding will support research, studies, and technology demonstrations across Canada and results will help address technical, policy and regulatory issues related to connected and automated vehicles. Projects that receive funding are expected to be completed by March 2022.

In Budget 2017, the Government of Canada committed $125 million to launch a Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy that will drive innovation, create jobs, and fund research, including funding researchers to study artificial intelligence for self-driving cars, to ultimately improve Canadians’ quality of life.