Moving York Region forward: Ontario pumps $16M into future of York Regional Transit

Provincial funding provides added relief to ensure YRT remains a reliable travel option post-pandemic

Yorkregion.com
March 8, 2021
Amanda Persico

During the peak of the pandemic, transit ridership dropped on average by 90 per cent across the province -- resulting in significant financial impacts for municipalities.

The province is adding a $16.7-million boost in funding to York Regional Transit to help ease the burden on the transit system as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not only is the region dealing with lost ridership revenue but also increasing costs to ensure hopping on the bus is safe as the pandemic continues.

Last year, net costs for delivering YRT services during the COVID-19 pandemic jumped to $1.6 million, up from $1.1 million in 2019. And there’s the additional cost of cleaning and disinfecting buses and facilities -- about $30,000 per week.

Not to mention YRT added electric buses to its Newmarket fleet and construction work has started to widen Yonge Street between Davis Drive and Green Lane to allow for the rapidway extension from Newmarket to East Gwillimbury.

The province is also calling on the federal government to match additional transit funding to ensure transit systems remain viable and offer reliable services post-pandemic.

“This support will help ensure there is reliable transportation for people to get to work or pickup essential items,” said York-Simcoe MPP and Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney.

The $16.7 million is in addition to the $2 billion previously committed by the province and the federal government through the Safe Restart Agreement to help municipalities continue to deliver pandemic-friendly transit options.

The Safe Restart Agreement also calls on transit service providers to ensure local transit is safe, sustainable and affordable both during and post-pandemic.

The Safe Restart funding can be used toward new transit initiatives making it easier to travel between regions, adding buses or other transit options during peak on-demand times and creating better integration across the region.

“As more businesses and public spaces begin to open across York Region, more residents will be turning to transit to safely travel to and from work,” said York Region chair and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “Reliable transit options support the economic vitality of our communities.”