Transit funding for municipalities

Jeff Yurek, Minister of Transportation, and Parliamentary Assistant Kinga Surma announced that the Government of Ontario is helping 107 municipalities across the province expand or improve their public transit systems with Ontario’s gas tax program.

This year, the province is providing $364 million in gas tax funding to 107 municipalities providing public transit service to 144 communities across Ontario. These communities represent over 92 per cent of Ontario’s total population.

Within MPP Laurie Scott’s riding of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, the City of Kawartha Lakes and the municipality of Dysart et al will be receiving funding for their public transit systems in the amount of $574, 021 and $14, 933 respectively.

Bancroft, which provides transportation service to the Municipality of Highlands East, will also be receiving funding in the amount of $65, 981.

Funding for Ontario’s gas tax program is determined by the number of litres of gasoline sold in the province. The program provides municipalities with two cents per litre of provincial gas tax revenues. Municipalities receiving gas tax funding must use these funds towards their public transit capital and/or operating expenditures, at their own discretion, including upgrading transit infrastructure, increasing accessibility, purchasing transit vehicles, adding more routes and extending hours of service.

The share that each municipality receives under Ontario’s gas tax program is based on a formula of 70 percent ridership and 30 percent population.

Municipalities that contribute financially to public transit services are eligible for funding. Municipalities not currently providing transit can become eligible for funding if they start up fully-accessible transit services.