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Orangeville Transit to get $300,000 in provincial gas tax rebates

January 28, 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Baker

Orangeville Transit will again receive a hearty slice of provincial pie this year after local MPP Sylvia Jones confirmed the Town will receive more than $300,000 through Ontario’s gasoline tax rebate program. 

Launched back in 2004, the initiative was designed to provide a long-term, sustainable source of funding for Ontario municipalities with local public transit systems. 

“The purpose of this program is to increase municipal transit ridership through the expansion of public transportation, capital infrastructure and levels of service,” reads a mission statement on the Ministry of Transportation website. “Municipalities must use funding for expenditures that support ridership growth and are incremental to their spending on transit, and not to replace or reduce their contributions to transit.”

This will make the fifth straight year the Town has received money through the program.

The Ontario government confirmed last week that it would provide $364 million in gas tax funding to 107 municipalities across the province. It is recommended that the money be used to extend hours of public transit services, improve accessibility, improve transit infrastructure and invest in transit vehicles.

Orangeville will receive $304,354 through this year’s Gas Tax Program. In recent years, money received has gone directly towards upgrading the municipality’s bus fleet, with three new buses purchased since 2016. 

There were plans to purchase a fourth bus, adding an extra route to the municipal transit system, in 2019, although, with an entirely new council in place at Town Hall, it’s unclear whether those plans will come to fruition. 

Mayor Sandy Brown offered some insight into where this year’s gas tax dollars may be spent.

“Transit is an integral part of an urban centre and the provincial funds will benefit the community as a whole,” Mr. Brown said. “The gas tax funds will go to good use to make Orangeville Transit more convenient and accessible for a growing ridership.”

He added, “We are working on some transit initiatives, including a new transfer station and GPS technology to show where buses are at any time. This funding may also allow us to look at extending operating times and a possible partnership with Dufferin County to help residents get to Orangeville and connect with GO Transit.”

For more information on Orangeville Transit, visit www.orangeville.ca/transit.

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