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Ontario Flowing More Funding for Municipal Transit

BRAMPTON – The Ontario government is providing municipalities with up to $505 million to help ensure municipal transit systems can continue to deliver safe and reliable transit services. The funding is being delivered through Phase 4 of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement.

“As we continue to build Ontario, our government is stepping up and investing historic amounts in municipalities, including public transit,” said Premier Doug Ford. “This additional funding will help deliver safe and reliable public transit for local communities both now and into the future.”

Phase 4 of the Safe Restart Agreement will help municipal transit systems address costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic between February 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022. Municipalities will be able to use their funding allocations to cover revenue losses, operating expenses, and provincial transit priority projects, including fare and service integration and On-Demand transit.

“Ontario has been a leader in supporting its municipal partners and we will continue to champion their needs along with transit users across the province,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “This funding, on top of what has already been provided, will help ensure reliable transportation options are available for everyone, whether you’re going to work, school or the grocery store.”

This funding builds on the more than $2 billion in dedicated funding for municipal transit systems that the Ontario government, in conjunction with the federal government, has provided since 2020 to help transit systems across the province respond to the impact of COVID-19.

"Our government will always be there for Canadians. Throughout the pandemic, countless essential workers relied on public transit to get to work and this funding will help ensure transit operators can continue to offer them and their communities a reliable service," said Jennifer O'Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.

Quick Facts

  • 107 municipalities across Ontario have been allocated funding through Phase 4 of the Safe Restart Agreement.
  • Allocations for Phase 4 of SRA funding include a base amount of $5,000 plus a remaining allocation amount based on actual impacts reported through the first three phases of SRA funding.
  • The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, has made up to $4 billion in one-time emergency assistance available to Ontario municipalities as part of the Safe Restart Agreement (SRA) since 2020. This funding includes over $2 billion already provided to municipalities to support public transit across the province.

Quotes

"Each day, municipalities across Ontario provide critical services that Canadians rely on. Through the Safe Restart Agreement, our government invested $2 billion to support municipalities in Ontario and across Canada with COVID-19 operating costs. In doing so, we’re ensuring local transit options continue to be safe, accessible and affordable."
- The Honourable Kamal Khera
Minister of Seniors

"Toronto’s Transit system is one of the busiest in North America—serving hundreds of thousands of Torontonians every day and half a billion people annually. We are thankful for this support from our partners in the provincial and federal governments through the Safe Restart Agreement. It will continue to help offset the impacts the pandemic had on ridership and ensure our transit system can support more customers as ridership increases."
- Mayor John Tory
City of Toronto

"As a community that was particularly hard-hit during the pandemic, we want to bounce back stronger than ever. The Safe Restart Funding will be an important part of the next phase of our recovery and we want to thank the Provincial Government for recognizing where help is needed and for investing to ensure we have a stable footing as we re-build."
- Mayor Jim Diodati
City of Niagara Falls, Ontario

"Ensuring our communities can continue to prosper now and in future, requires that all levels of government step up to the plate. I thank the provincial and federal governments for their continued support for funding transit, so that the people that rely on Transit Windsor can continue to travel to work, appointments and the places that matter most."
- Mayor Drew Dilkens
City of Windsor

"The City of Ottawa thanks the provincial and federal governments for this much-needed funding. This funding is an important step towards supporting OC Transpo’s ongoing operational needs as we remain committed to providing vitally-needed transit services to our communities."
- Mayor Mark Sutcliffe
City of Ottawa

"This joint funding is imperative to ensure Guelph can continue to recover its ridership and get commuters where they need to go safely. The Provincial and Federal government’s have been there for our communities through the toughest years of the pandemic, and this additional funding is another demonstration of their support for Guelph and public transit."
- Mayor Cam Guthrie
City of Guelph

"Public transit is a preferred method of transportation for many commuters in Bradford West Gwillimbury and we need to ensure they have reliable access to these services. This much-needed funding from the Ontario and federal governments will ensure we can continue to serve our growing communities across Bradford and York-Simcoe."
- Mayor James Leduc
Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury

"York Regional Council is committed to providing all residents with safe and reliable access to high-quality transit services. This welcomed federal-provincial investment will ensure we continue to provide exceptional transit services that meet the needs of our growing communities, and we thank our partners at all levels of government for their sustained support of our communities and the economic vitality of York Region."
- Wayne Emmerson
Chairman and CEO, Regional Municipality of York