Mississauga slated to receive $32 million in gas tax funding in 2022
The province has committed $334.5 million in gas tax funding to 99 municipalities

Mississuaga.com
Feb. 8, 2017
Rachael Williams

Mississauga can expect to receive an extra $32 million from the province’s gas tax fund, beginning in 2021-2022.

Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca made the announcement at Mississauga City Hall on Wednesday, alongside Streetsville MPP Bob Delaney and Mayor Bonnie Crombie. The commitment to increase gas tax funding for municipalities was made in the wake of the provincial government axing Toronto Mayor John Tory’s plan to charge road tolls on the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from municipalities that they need more sustainable funding for public transit to keep up with the demand to provide more service,” said Del Duca. “By modernizing Ontario’s gas tax program, we are helping municipalities improve their local transit service so people can easily get where they need to be.”

The province plans to increase gas tax funding to 2.5 cents per litre in 2019-2020, three cents in 2020-2021, and four cents by 2021-2022.

Mississauga is already receiving $16.6 million this year and could see its funding increased to $20 million by 2019 and $24 million the following year.

“The municipalities of the 905 together represent over 3.5 million people and I have repeatedly heard from private-sector leaders who choose to do business in Mississauga that they want public transit built,” said Crombie.

Mississauga will use the additional funding to “make lasting investments that will help break gridlock, build transit and move people and our economy forward,” said Crombie.

The province has also agreed to fully fund the $1.4 billion Hurontario Light Rail Transit project, upgrade the Square One bus terminal, add increased GO train service between Milton and Toronto, stopping at all Mississauga stations along the way, as well as the addition of over 250 parking spaces at the Streetsville GO station and 130 new parking spaces at Square One.

“These initiatives are making a positive and lasting difference in the lives of workers, students, residents and visitors, who rely on accessible and affordable public transit,” said Crombie.

The province has committed $334.5 million in gas tax funding to 99 municipalities. By 2022, the province anticipates that number to jump to $642 million.