UPDATE: Changes To Gas Tax Program Mean For Gradual Boon To Local Transit

The province is changing the way the Ontario Gas Tax works, but they say it won’t affect the price at the pumps. Premier Kathleen Wynne this morning outlined how her government will siphon more money from the gas tax into municipal transit systems across the province. For every litre of gas sold, the province puts two cents aside for municipalities to fund local transit, and today the Premier said they’ll raise that to four cents, bringing the amount of money the province splits up among municipalities to 642 million dollars by 2022. Right now, Barrie for example, gets just over 2mil out of the gas tax program, and last year used the funding in part to upgrade a fare collection system. In a February 3rd media conference, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca confirmed Barrie’s take from the Gas Tax program will double to just over $4 million by 2021. Mayor Jeff Lehman said the city has yet to come up with a concrete plan for the extra funds, but at least they can plan ahead.

Transit systems in Bracebridge, Bradford, Collingwood, Huntsville, Midland and Penetanguishene, Orillia, and Wasaga Beach will also benefit from this announcement over time.