For Immediate Release

February 3, 2006

ONTARIO PUMPS GAS TAX INTO KINGSTON TRANSIT: YEAR TWO

First Year Gas Tax Fuelled Real Transit Results

KINGSTON — The McGuinty government’s gas tax funding program has increased ridership by 3.4 per cent across Ontario and expanded and improved transit services in Kingston, MPP John Gerretsen announced today on behalf of Minister of Transportation Harinder Takhar.

“Getting more people out of their cars and on to public transit means we’re all breathing cleaner air, burning less fuel and reducing gridlock in our city said Gerretsen.” “The gas tax is paying off for Kingston because it provides long-term, stable funding, allowing Kingston Transit to plan significant transit improvements at the local level.”

Last year Kingston received $1,025,547 million in provincial gas tax funding. This year’s provincial gas tax funding for Kingston Transit totals $1,482,290 million. The funding will go towards new buses and improved/additional service & improved transit infrastructure Development marketing/educational initiatives to increase transit usage. Introduction of inter-modal transfer locations, supporting both inter-city and tourist markets.

Increased ridership reduces traffic congestion, commute times and smog. Transit riders benefit from more convenient and efficient transit systems. 

In 2004/05, Ontario started sharing one cent a litre of the gas tax with municipalities across Ontario, resulting in $156 million for local transit funding.  In the second year of the program municipalities will receive one-and-a-half cents a litre, totalling $232 million. The investment will grow to two cents a litre by October 2006.

Funding from the gas tax program is in addition to the government’s other commitments to strengthen Ontario’s public transit.  By 2009, the government will invest more than $1 billion in gas tax funding on public transit.

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