Province tops up Gas Tax funding to make up for reduced gas sales during COVID-19
The Ontario government is providing $1,773,827 to support the expansion and improvement of public transit services in the City of Brantford and County of Brant. 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 Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford-Brant. “That is why we have topped up this year’s Gas Tax funding to make up for reduced sales at the pump.”
County of Brant will receive $280,774.00 while the City of Brantford will receive $1,493,053.00.
“The County of Brant is grateful to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation for the $280,774 funding allocation to improve the transportation network and support economic growth,” said County of Brant Mayor David Bailey. “While the pandemic has impacted transit ridership in Brant, we are grateful the Province has recognized these challenges and provided additional one-time increased funding to support this essential service. As always, we are thankful for the Province’s ongoing support of the County of Brant.”
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.
“The provincial gas tax funding source is a vital resource that helps cities like Brantford carry out important infrastructure improvements and in managing future growth,” said City of Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis. “This funding will be used towards road resurfacing projects of high traffic thoroughfares in the city, as well as a major streetlight conversion, and replacements to upgrade the City’s Transit Fleet. We are grateful for the efforts of MPP Will Bouma in helping to obtain this funding for much needed improvements to the City’s assets which in turn improves our residents’ quality of life in Brantford.”
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.
“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.
