107 Municipalities Including Wawa Receive Funds with Ontario’s Gas Tax Program

Jeff Yurek, Minister of Transportation announced Tuesday, January 8, 2019, that the Ontario government is helping 107 municipalities across the province expand or improve their public transit systems with Ontario’s gas tax program. “We are investing in public transit to make it a more convenient travel option and to attract more riders,” said Yurek. “More public transit will cut through gridlock and get people moving.”

This year, the province is giving $364 million in gas tax funding to 107 municipalities that provide public transit service to 144 communities across Ontario. These communities represent over 92 per cent of Ontario’s total population. Wawa will receive $25,239, and Chapleau will receive $17,547.

Funding for Ontario’s gas tax program is determined by the number of litres of gasoline sold in the province. The program provides municipalities with two cents per litre of provincial gas tax revenues. Municipalities receiving gas tax funding must use these funds towards their public transit capital and/or operating expenditures, at their own discretion, including upgrading transit infrastructure, increasing accessibility, purchasing transit vehicles, adding more routes and extending hours of service.