LINDSEY PARK MPP Durham Region
Local Members of Provincial Parliament announced, on January 18th, that the Regional Municipality of Durham will be receiving $9,313,642 in funding from the provincial government through Ontario’s Gas Tax program. This year, the province is providing a total of $375 million in gas tax funding for 109 municipalities that deliver public transit to 144 communities across Ontario. The province will flow the funding as soon as possible in 2021.
“This continued and predictable funding through the Gas Tax program provides certainty to the Durham Region during an unstable time,” said Lindsey Park, MPP Durham. “This funding along with the transit funding from the Safe Restart Agreement will help sustain public transit in Durham during a challenging period and also help support our local economic recovery.”
“As together we look to improve and enhance Durham Regional Transit services, our priority is to ensure that transit continues to be a safe, accessible and reliable option for Durham residents,” said Lorne Coe, MPP Whitby. “It’s about moving people effectively through our communities—to get to work and return to their families.”
Funding for the Gas Tax program is determined by the number of litres of gasoline sold in the province during the previous year. Municipalities supporting public transit services in their community receive two cents per litre of provincial gas tax revenue collected. This funding can be used to extend service hours, buy transit vehicles, add routes, improve accessibility or upgrade infrastructure.
“This funding allocated to our region will help ensure residents in Pickering and Uxbridge have access to safe, and reliable transportation to get to work or pick-up essential items like a prescription or go to a doctor’s appointment,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge. “Helping frontline workers get to and from work each day with reliable transportation throughout the pandemic is vital to our community’s recovery from the effects of COVID-19.”
“Public transit plays a critical role in Durham as many residents use it everyday to get to and from work,” said Rod Phillips, Ajax MPP. “The funding of over $9 million through the Gas Tax program will help deliver reliable public transit service to the citizens of Ajax and Durham region.”
“Our government is committed to helping municipalities sustain and improve public transit throughout the province,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation.
“Supporting transit systems is more important than ever as municipalities across Ontario struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding will help ensure people have access to safe, reliable transportation to get to work or pick up essential items like a prescription.”