The government of Ontario will support municipal transit systems across the province with up to $505 million in funding through the Safe Restart Agreement (SRA). The city of London is set to receive more than $6.5 million to maintain and improve its public transportation.
As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government invested more than $19 billion in the SRA to aid provinces and territories in various phases of economic recovery. Now in phase 4, public transportation has become a major focus.
“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,” said Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney.
According to the government of Ontario, this effort will help municipal transit systems to cover revenue losses, operating expenses, and priority projects such as fare-service integration and On-Demand transit. This new funding will build upon the $2 billion the federal and provincial government have already invested in Ontario's public transit since 2020.
107 municipalities across the province will receive some funding as part of this announcement. A base amount of $5,000 will be allocated to each municipality, with additional funding based on actual impacts reported through the first three phases of SRA funding.
The full list of municipalities and dollar amount they will receive can be found on the Ontario government website.
