File photo by Alec Ross, BlackburnNews.comFile photo by Alec Ross, BlackburnNews.com
London

London Transit getting $10.3M boost from province

London is getting a slightly bigger cut of the provincial gas tax revenue this year than it did in 2018.

The provincial government announced Tuesday the London Transit Commission (LTC) will receive $10.3 -million to help cover the cost of expanded public transit services in the city. That is a four per cent increase over the $9.9 million the LTC got from the province last year.

A total of 107 municipalities across Ontario will get a combined $364-million through the gas tax program. St. Thomas' share comes to $396,614, while the Four Counties Community Transportation Services, which covers West Elgin, Southwest Middlesex, and Newbury, will receive $35,454.

"[Our government] is delivering on transit funding to enhance service for people that depend on the LTC, St. Thomas Transit and other local transit services across Ontario,” said Jeff Yurek, Ontario Transportation Minister and Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP.

Funding for the gas tax program is determined by the number of litres of gasoline sold in the province with two cents per litre of provincial gas tax revenues returned to each municipality. The money is earmarked exclusively for public transit and can be put toward capital and operating expenditures including updated infrastructure, increased accessibility, new transit vehicles, additional routes and extended service hours.

Nearly half of the provincial gas tax revenue being doled out this year will go to Toronto, which is slated to receive just under $185 million for its public transit improvements.

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