Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae announced today over $870,000 in funding for local public transportation in area municipalities.
The funding, which totals $871,984, breaks down as follows:
- Stratford - $484,341
- St. Mary's (Perth South) - $163,485
- North Perth - $80,090
- Perth East - $73,121
- West Perth - $70,947
The funding also represents a year-over-year increase of 7.7 per cent in funding levels.
Rae called the year-over-year increase "great to see."
The funding is part of the province's gas tax program.
Funding for the program is determined by the number of litres of gasoline in the province during the previous year. Municipalities that support public transit services receive two cents per litre of provincial gas tax revenue collected.
This year's gas tax program includes additional funding of $80 million to help municipalities continue to support their transit systems to help make up for reduced gas sales during the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Public transit is a key driver of economic growth in Ontario, helping people get to where they need to go, whether it is to work, school, or run errands,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “As more people return to public transit, our government is providing municipalities with the funding they need to accommodate growing ridership, while ensuring they can continue to deliver safe and reliable transit service for people in their communities.”
The funding can be used to extend service hours, buy transit vehicles, add routes, improve accessibility, or upgrade infrastructure.
