The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round

ABRIDGED NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

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Orazietti announces additional $1.2 million in local transit upgrades

Province continues to invest in public transit in Sault Ste. Marie

SAULT STE. MARIE - The province is investing an additional $1,211,118 in Sault Ste. Marie public transit through Ontario’s Gas Tax Program, which provides municipal transit systems with funding for equipment repairs, upgrades and service expansion, David Orazietti MPP announced today.

“The provincial gas tax program provides our local transit system with stable annual funding which allows the Sault Ste. Marie Transit Authority to plan significant improvements to our local system in order to better serve residence and encourage the increased use of public transit,” said Orazietti. “Today’s investment is part of our government’s continuing commitment to repair and expand infrastructure in our community and to make these services more convenient, accessible and comfortable for commuters.”

Under the provincial gas tax program, Ontario shares two cents per litre of gas tax revenues with municipalities to expand and improve their public transit systems - in Sault Ste. Marie and across Ontario.

Since the creation of the program in 2004, over $2.3 billion in funding has been provided to municipalities across the province.

Improved public transit means greater mobility for people, and an overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

This is the eighth year of the government’s unprecedented program to share a portion of the provincial gas tax with municipalities across Ontario.

In total $8,633,448 in new money for public transportation in Sault Ste. Marie has been delivered through this program as follows:

• Year 1 (1 cent per litre) $592,000
• Year 2 (1.5 cents per litre) $888,923
• Year 3 (2 cents per litre) $1,186,562
• Year 4 (2 cents per litre) $1,171,137
• Year 5 (2 cents per litre) $1,165,205
• Year 6 (2 cents per litre) $1,198,721
• Year 7 (2 cents per litre) $1,219,782
• Year 8 (2 cents per litre) $1,211,118

In past years, the City of Sault Ste. Marie has invested the province’s support in the expansion of Saturday service and the installation of new automated annunciation systems to call out bus stops on local transit routes, as well as other initiatives to improve equipment and services.

“The province’s dedicated gas funding assists the City of Sault Ste. Marie to effectively operate transit services for our citizens,” said Mayor Debbie Amaroso. “With escalating costs of operating both conventional and Para transit, the gas tax funding ensures we have the ability to meet the needs of the community. Public transportation is a key service and today's announcement of the 2012 investment will support our continued efforts.”

Since 2003, the province has increased funding to the city by 43 percent through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF), uploaded the costs of municipal services to the province and made numerous infrastructure investments.

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
In 2010, public transit ridership in Ontario increased by nearly 132 million passenger trips compared to 2003. This is the equivalent of removing approximately 110 million car trips off our roads

Learn more

Learn about Ontario’s long-term infrastructure plan, Building Together

Learn more about Ontario’s efforts to address climate change

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