Ninety-three transit systems in 120 communities across the province will share $318 million in provincial gas tax funding for municipal transit this year (2010-11). Since 2004, the Province has committed over $1.9 billion in funding for municipal transit to Ontario municipalities.

Here’s how some municipalities have improved public transit:

City of Brampton

Has received $35,870,439 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2004 and will receive $7,739,932 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved Brampton transit:

• Improved off-peak and weekend bus service
• Expanded existing routes, added new routes, made more routes fully accessible.

Ridership has increased from 7,790,540 in 2003 to 12,294,230 in 2009, an increase of about 58 per cent or 4,503,690 passenger trips.

Durham Region

Has received $33,199,640 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2005 and will receive $7,653,638 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved Durham transit:

• Acquired 15 new buses and refurbished four existing buses
• Added more routes and extended service hours
• Expanded the Westney Road facility to better meet increased service demands.

Ridership has increased from 6,489,462 in 2004 to 8,652,119 in 2009, an increase of about 33 per cent or 2,162,657 passenger trips.

Town of Fort Frances

Has received $413,828 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2004 and will receive $75,639 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in Fort Frances:

• Introduced a second bus and replaced an old bus
• Froze fares to make the transit services more affordable for all residents
• Made public transit more accessible for riders — attendants who accompany a disabled passenger on a specialized transit vehicle ride at no charge.

Ridership has increased from 11,007 in 2003 to 26,492 in 2009, an increase of about 140 per cent or 15,485 passenger trips.

Lanark County

Has received $766,417 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2005 and will receive $276,000 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in Lanark County:

• Replaced two aging vehicles and added one new accessible bus.

Ridership has increased from 1,496 in 2004 to 14,650 in 2009.

Town of Oakville

Has received $11,911,604 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2004 and will receive $2,286,736 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in Oakville:

• Construction of a 265,000 square foot state-of-the-art Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified transit facility to accommodate Oakville’s transit expansion over the next 20 years
• Construction of a new transit terminal and drivers’ facility in the uptown core
• Installed more than 50 new bus shelters throughout the town to improve convenience and accessibility
• Expanded bus fleet through the purchase of 15 40-foot diesel buses
• Installed bike racks on the entire bus fleet
• Implemented PRESTO on the entire bus fleet to seamlessly connect riders to transit systems across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Ridership has increased from 2,154,572 in 2003 to 2,522,681 in 2009, an increase of about 17 per cent or 368,109 passenger trips.

City of Ottawa

Has received $190,293,279 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2004 and will receive $32,564,077 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in Ottawa:

• Added 306 articulated buses and extended service hours
• Built two new park and ride facilities, and added more parking spaces at existing

      park and ride lots

• Constructed a new bus maintenance and dispatch facility to meet growth

• Built three new Transitway stations.

City of St. Catharines

Has received $13,505,921 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2004 and will receive $2,624,526 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in St. Catharines:

• Purchased three low floor diesel-electric hybrid buses 
• Increased accessible bus routes from 50 per cent to 95 per cent due to new low floor bus purchases
• Installed an automated stop announcement system
• Replaced all antiquated fare boxes with new electronic fare boxes.

Ridership has increased from 3,479,382 in 2003 to 4,968,127 in 2009, an increase of about 43 per cent or 1,488,745 passenger trips.

City of Thunder Bay

Has received $10,212,312 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2004 and will receive $2,020,280 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in Thunder Bay:

• Replaced seven para-transit vehicles
• Installed an enhanced video surveillance system on all buses to improve the safety of transit passengers and drivers
• Purchased three 100 per cent accessible conventional buses.

Ridership has increased from 2,887,524 in 2003 to 3,675,655 in 2009, an increase of about 27 per cent or 788,131 passenger trips.

Town of Wasaga Beach

Has received $184,631 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2007 and will receive $141,535 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in Wasaga Beach:

• A new transit bus is now in use and has helped increase ridership from 5,174 in 2006 to 25,671 in 2009, an increase of 396.15 per cent or 20,497 passenger trips.

Waterloo Region

Has received $44,822,090 in provincial funds for municipal transit since 2004 and will receive $9,351,558 this year.

Here’s how the funds have improved transit in Waterloo Region:

• Added six new hybrid buses
• Added new service and improved existing service
• Added dedicated specialized vehicle service hours.

Ridership has increased from 11,362,788 in 2003 to 16,891,881 in 2009, an increase of about 49 per cent or 5,529,093 passenger trips.