Ontario Gives Boost to Public Transit in Mississauga
Province tops up Gas Tax funding to make up for reduced gas sales during COVID-19
Mississauga/Peel – The Ontario government is providing $18,932,146 to the City of Mississauga
and $482,539 to the Region of Peel, to support the expansion and improvement of public transit
services in Mississauga. 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 recognizes the importance of public transit systems and the challenges our
communities face in order to maintain service levels during this pandemic,” said Nina Tangri,
MPP for Mississauga-Streetsville. “This Gas Tax Program will provide funding of over $18 million to
the City of Mississauga and over $400,000 to the Region of Peel, which will continue to benefit our
community, as it will help municipalities support local public transit systems and help increase
overall ridership.”
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.
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.”
QUICK FACTS
▪ The 107 municipalities receiving funding through the Gas Tax program deliver public transit
service to 142 communities representing more than 92 per cent of Ontario’s total population.
▪ The provincial and federal governments are providing up to $2.15 billion to support municipal
transit systems across the province in response to COVID-19 through the Safe Restart
Agreement.
▪ Ontario is developing regional plans that will help build a better transportation system across the
province. The province has released draft regional transportation plans for Northern Ontario and
southwestern Ontario, and planning is underway for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and eastern
Ontario.
Media Inquiries
Office of Nina Tangri, MPP
905-569-1643
nina.tangrico@pc.ola.org