Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci announced $2.75 million in provincial funding for Greater Sudbury Transit Monday morning at Tom Davies Square.
“The funding from the province is based 70 percent on ridership as well as 30 percent by population. The more residents ride the bus, the more money the city gets from the provincial gas tax allotment,” said Bartolucci.
Two cents per litre of the 14 cents from the provincial portion of taxes consumers pay when they gas up goes to municipalities, said Bartolucci.
“Before the McGuinty government was first elected in 2003, municipalities did not receive a portion of gas tax funding...gas tax investments (in Greater Sudbury) from 2004 to 2007 have totaled over $6.1 million. Today's investment brings the amount up to over $8.8 million,” said Bartolucci.
The money will go to purchasing new buses and better service in outlying communities, said Roger Sauve, director of Greater Sudbury Transit in a statement.
Six new buses were added by Sudbury transit in 2007.
Louise Portelance, federal Liberal candidate for Nickel Belt, said public transit is always a hot issue in the outlying communities.
“I sense that people are seeing improvements, they see new buses out there, but some want the bus routes to move more into the subdivisions-perhaps this new money will help,” said Portelance.
Bartolucci stressed the environmental benefits of public transit.
“Every bus in operation is the equivalent of taking 40 polluting cars off the road. Province-wide, in 2007/08, the Ontario government is providing $314 million in gas tax funding to 108 municipalities, which operate 86 transit systems across the province. The gas tax money supports cleaner communities,” he said.
