The Ontario government is providing more than $379.5 million in gas tax funding to help 107 municipalities, including 11 in the greater Kawarthas region, operate and improve local transit.
The 2022-23 gas tax funding is provided to municipalities so they can make infrastructure upgrades for public transit, buy additional transit vehicles, add more routes, extend hours of service, and more.
Funding available for Ontario’s gas tax program is based on 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 collected.
This year, the provincial government is providing additional one-time gas tax funding of $80 million to make up for a shortfall in tax revenue from reduced gas sales as a result of the 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 transportation minister Caroline Mulroney. “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.”
Toronto is receiving the bulk of the $379.5 million in gas tax funding at $185.6 million, followed by Ottawa at $37.8 million, Mississauga at $19.7 million, York Region at $17.1 million, and Brampton at $16.2 million.
In the greater Kawarthas region, the following 11 municipalities will receive a total of just over $4 million:
- City of Peterborough – $1,827,406
- Kawartha Lakes – $720,759
- Quinte West (Brighton) – $536,351
- Cobourg – $216,821
- Marmora and Lake (Centre Hastings, Madoc, Stirling-Rawdon, Tweed) – $196,534
- Port Hope – $165,722
- Trent Hills – $113,271
- Cramahe (Alnwick/Haldimand, Hamilton Township) – $98,746
- Bancroft (Hastings Highlands, Wollaston) – $79,713
- Peterborough County – $45,161
- Dysart et Al (Haliburton County) – $23,618
