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Windsor getting $3.5 million from province for transit

Transit Windsor bus in Windsor, Ont. on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor) Transit Windsor bus in Windsor, Ont. on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor)
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Transit Windsor is getting $3.5 million from the Ontario government.

The province is providing municipalities with up to $505 million to help ensure municipal transit systems can continue to deliver safe and reliable transit services. The funding is being delivered through Phase 4 of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement.

Transit Windsor executive director Tyson Cragg says the funds will be used to offset revenue losses as a result of reduced ridership during the pandemic. He said based on the city’s Third Quarter Variance report, Transit Windsor is projecting a $2.3-milion revenue shortfall, directly tied to reduced ridership, which is subject to change once we see the results from Q4.

The province is allowing municipalities some flexibility with these funds.

The province said municipalities will be able to use their funding allocations to cover revenue losses, operating expenses, and provincial transit priority projects, including fare and service integration and On-Demand transit.

“Once we are able to assess the full impact of the revenue losses for full-year 2022, we will be able to determine if some of these funds could be put towards some or all of the items mentioned above,” said Cragg.

Phase 4 of the Safe Restart Agreement will help municipal transit systems address costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic between February 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

"Ensuring our communities can continue to prosper now and in future, requires that all levels of government step up to the plate. I thank the provincial and federal governments for their continued support for funding transit, so that the people that rely on Transit Windsor can continue to travel to work, appointments and the places that matter most," said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.

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