HAMILTON — Provincial support through the gas tax is getting more people out of their cars and onto public transit.
This year, Hamilton Street Railway will receive $11,119,297 in gas tax revenues. Last year Hamilton received over $11.2 M in gas tax funding. Last years funding assisted the city offset fare increases, make capital bus purchases and improve technical support.
Ontario shares two cents per litre of gas tax revenues with municipalities for public transit. The government has provided municipalities with more than $1.3 billion in gas tax funding since 2004, including more than $321 million this year.
The Ontario government’s investments in public transit have helped expand and improve transit services in Hamilton and across Ontario - increasing ridership by 102 million passenger trips since 2003. This took 85 million car trips off our roads.
QUOTES
“The gas tax is paying off for Hamilton, allowing Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) to make significant improvements,” said Sophia Aggelonitis MPP for Hamilton Mountain.
"The gas tax has made a real difference to municipal transit. Since 2004 this provincial investment has helped HSR purchase buses and enhance overall public transit services to our Hamilton community." Said Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger
“This funding helps municipalities deliver public transit here in Hamilton and across the province. Since 2004 Hamilton has received over $48 million for the HSR. ,” said Ted McMeekin, MPP Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. “Our record investments in public transit strengthen our local economy by helping people get to work, school, and shopping while reducing gridlock.”
QUICK FACTS
- One bus takes up to 40 vehicles off the road, and keeps 25 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere each year.
- Since gas tax sharing began in 2004, public transit ridership has increased by 102 million people provincewide.
- With the 2009 allocation, Ontario has provided municipalities with $1.3 billion in gas tax funding for public transit.