107 municipalities receive funds for transit systems

TORONTO — The Ontario government is supporting 107 municipalities across the province to expand or improve their public transit systems through the gas tax
program.

The announcement was made Jan. 8 by Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek.

This year, the province is giving $364 million in gas tax funding to municipalities that provide public transit service to 144 communities across Ontario, which represents over 92 per cent of the province’s total population.

Funding for Ontario’s gas tax program is determined by the number of litres of gasoline sold in the province, states a release issued by the Ministry of Transportation, adding 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, adds the release.

The share that each municipality receives under the program is based on a formula of 70 per cent ridership and 30 per cent population.

“Through Ontario’s gas tax program, the City of Toronto will receive $184,994,655 in funding this year to improve transit projects such as the TTC,” said Yurek in a statement. “This investment will help improve the daily commute for many who use the TTC to get around Toronto every day.”