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Fort Frances Handi-transit van June 2019(1)

Provincial gas taxes flowing back to northwestern Ontario transit services

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Nine communities in northwestern Ontario are among those to receive provincial gas tax money.

A share of money collected at the pumps is given to municipalities to support local transit services.

Kenora, Fort Frances, Dryden, Atikokan, and Sioux Lookout are among those receiving a portion of the $2.5 million allocated to the northwest region.

Thunder Bay is receiving the lion’s share at over $2.1 million.

Municipalities can use the money to expand service, purchase new vehicles or make existing services more accessible.

Here is the list of northern Ontario communities receiving funds

Thunder Bay – $24,184
Dryden – $65,782
Fort Frances – $69,403
Greenstone – $26,894
Kenora – $139,771
Machin – $9,570
Schreiber – $21,861
Sioux Lookout – $51,107
Thunder Bay – $2,181,141

Fort Frances Handi-transit van June 2019(1)

Federal funding supports transit projects in northwestern Ontario

Specialized transit services are being enhanced in parts of northwestern Ontario.

The federal government is doling out $1.5 million to five projects.

The bulk of the money is going to Lac Seul First Nation.

It will use more than $870,000 to purchase vehicles, bus shelters and other infrastructure to support a local transit service.

Naicatchewenin First Nation, north of Fort Frances, will use $153,883 to purchase a vehicle for community elders to access.

Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre is getting $120,000 for a vehicle that supports the Gizhewaadiziwin Indigenous and Metis Transit Service.

The accessible van will service the towns and Indigenous communities in the Rainy River District.

The Health Access Centre is contributing another $41,000 toward the purchase.

The Indian Youth Friendship Society is receiving $160,000 to purchase an accessible vehicle to be offered to Indigenous peoples living in Thunder Bay and surrounding rural areas.

Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg First Nation (Pic Mobert First Nation) is also purchasing an accessible vehicle with its federal grant of $183,993 as it establishes an on-demand transit system for the community east of White River.

The funding is provided through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund, which supports initiatives that enhance access to public transit in rural, remote, Indigenous and northern communities.

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Federal Government Announces Funding For Transit

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Public transit is getting a shot in the arm.

The federal government says it is investing almost 15 billion dollars over the next eight years.

Don Iveson of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities says the money will not only help big cities.

“Rural and remote communities are also essential to this countries economic future and better transit in each of those communities will have a tremendous impact on our shared economic and environmental goals.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau adds the transit funding will help Canada exceed its climate change goal for 2030 and help us reach net zero by 2050.

He adds it will also help Canada kick-start it’s economy after the pandemic.

“Yes there will be more working from home, but people will still want to be getting around and there may actually be less need for certain single-occupant vehicles and more use of better quality, cleaner and safer public transit.”

Trudeau adds the funding will help companies that make transit vehicles like Alstom in Thunder Bay and New Flyer in Winnipeg.

The announcement is welcome news for the president of the union at Alstom.

Unifor’s Dominic Pasqualino says while it’s too early to say how it will affect the Thunder Bay plant it’s going in the right direction.

“Certainly having infrastructure money dedicated to transportation is something we have been lobbying for for a very long time,” explains Pasqualino.

The union official says today’s announcement makes sense at a time when the pandemic has slowed down manufacturing.