Public transportation given boost by province

The Ontario government is providing $641,771 to support the expansion and improvement of public transit services in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The funding is part of the province’s Gas Tax program which will allocate $375.6 million this year to 107 municipalities that deliver public transit. 

“Our government knows that helping municipalities sustain and improve public transit systems is more important than ever during COVID-19,” said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. “That’s why we’ve topped up this year’s Gas Tax funding which can be used to extend service hours, buy transit vehicles, add routes, improve accessibility or upgrade infrastructure.”

Funding for the Gas Tax program is determined by the number of litres of gasoline sold in the province during the previous year. Municipalities that support public transit services in their community receive two cents per litre of provincial Gas Tax revenue.

To make up for reduced gas sales due to COVID-19, this year’s Gas Tax funding includes one-time additional funding of $120.4 million to ensure municipalities can support their transit systems.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen how critical public transit is for frontline workers and for Ontarians who depend on these services to get to medical appointments, the grocery store and other important locations,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. 

“Gas Tax funding remains a vital source of long-term transit funding that municipalities can rely on to help operate and expand existing public transit services – ensuring people have access to safe and reliable transportation when they need it.”