December 14, 2023 Ottawa, ON Transport Canada

Ensuring Canadians are safe on the roads is a top priority for the Government of Canada. Transport Canada’s Enhanced Highway Safety Transfer Payment Program aims to address persistent safety issues related to unsafe driving habits and rapid technological developments, as well as school bus safety.

Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez today announced a new call for proposals under this program. The call is open to private sector companies, academia, public safety agencies, non-governmental organizations and other levels of government in Canada. There are three priority areas of action:

• Projects addressing the leading causes of road traffic accidents and fatalities, including impaired driving, distraction, aggressive driving and excessive speed;
• Projects that provide investment opportunities in initiatives that promote innovative design, testing and integration of connected and automated vehicles;
• Projects that contribute to the education, training, testing and improvement of advanced driver assistance system technologies.

Proposals to support safety initiatives for vulnerable road users, commercial vehicles, road safety enforcement and new technologies will also be considered.

Transport Canada can provide a maximum contribution of up to 75 per cent of the total eligible costs of a project. To be eligible, applicants must submit their proposals to Transport Canada no later than February 8, 2024.

Since its inception, the Enhanced Road Safety Transfer Payment Program has provided approximately $28 million for 84 projects to improve road safety, including efforts to reduce collisions and improve vehicle safety. The program was renewed as part of the 2023 budget.