Ontario Gives $ 910K Boost to Public Transit in North Bay
January 19, 2022Province tops up Gas Tax funding to make up for reduced gas sales during COVID-19
NORTH BAY – MPP Vic Fedeli announced that the Ontario government is providing $909,919 to support the expansion and improvement of public transit services in City of North Bay. 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 supporting public transit systems is more important than ever as communities struggle to maintain service levels during COVID-19,” said Vic Fedeli MPP for Nipissing. “That is why we have topped up this year’s Gas Tax funding to make up for reduced sales at the pump.”
“The provincial Gas Tax program provides the City of North Bay with stable, reliable funding each year, helping to offset the cost of operating our transit system and allowing us to reinvest in new buses and other transit infrastructure,” said Mayor Al McDonald. “This funding will be especially needed this year as our transit systems continues to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“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.”
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, which can be used to extend service hours, buy transit vehicles, add routes, improve accessibility or upgrade infrastructure.
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. That allows for the City of North Bay to receive the same funding as last year — which is more than they would have anticipated — even with significantly reduced gas consumption due to COVID-19.
QUICK FACTS
- The 107 municipalities receiving funding through the Gas Tax program deliver public transit service to 142 communities representing more than 92 per cent of Ontario’s total population.
- The provincial and federal governments are providing up to $2.15 billion to support municipal transit systems across the province in response to COVID-19 through the Safe Restart Agreement.
- Ontario is developing regional plans that will help build a better transportation system across the province. The province has released draft regional transportation plans for Northern Ontario and southwestern Ontario, and planning is underway for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and eastern Ontario.