By: Matt Weinagrden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
The Ontario government is investing $1,276,537 to support and improve public transit services in Chatham‑Kent–Leamington through the 2025‑26 Gas Tax program, a funding boost local officials say will help expand service, improve accessibility and keep residents connected to work, school and essential services.
The funding allocation includes $977,409 for the Municipality of Chatham‑Kent and $299,128 for the Municipality of Leamington, supporting a range of local transit priorities such as extending service hours, adding routes, purchasing new vehicles and enhancing accessibility features to increase ridership.
“People across Chatham‑Kent–Leamington deserve access to reliable transit services that get them where they need to go quickly and safely,” said MPP Trevor Jones. “The funding we’re announcing today is good news for people and transit users in Chatham‑Kent–Leamington as our government continues to protect Ontario by making historic investments in public transit.”
The province is investing nearly $380 million in transit systems across 107 municipalities through the 2025‑26 Gas Tax program. The funding is part of Ontario’s broader plan to strengthen local transit networks and support communities of all sizes. In addition to the Gas Tax program, the province also funds municipal transportation projects through the Connecting Links program and the Ontario Transit Investment Fund.
Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, said the investment reflects the government’s long‑term commitment to building a stronger and more resilient transportation network. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is investing nearly $70 billion in public transit to protect Ontario by building a stronger, more resilient, self‑reliant economy,” Sarkaria said. “Today, we’re ensuring municipalities can continue to deliver safe and reliable transit services for their communities.”
Chatham‑Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff said the nearly $1 million investment will help the municipality enhance service and meet growing demand. “Reliable and accessible public transit is essential to keeping Chatham‑Kent connected and moving forward,” Canniff said. “This investment of nearly $1 million through the Gas Tax program will help us enhance service, improve accessibility and ensure Chatham‑Kent residents can get to work, school and essential services safely and efficiently. We appreciate the continued support from the Province of Ontario as we work to strengthen our transit system and support the growth of our community.”
Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald said the funding is critical for maintaining and improving transit options in smaller communities. “The Municipality of Leamington is grateful to the Government of Ontario for its continued support through the Gas Tax program,” MacDonald said. “Provincial Gas Tax funding plays a vital role in sustaining local public transit in communities like ours. Without this investment, delivering reliable and accessible transit service for Leamington residents would not be possible. This support helps ensure residents can continue to connect with employment, services and opportunities across our community.”
Under the Dedicated Funding for Public Transportation Act, 2013, two cents per litre of gasoline tax is permanently allocated to public transit. Municipalities can use the funding for both operating and capital expenses, giving them flexibility to address local needs. The total funding envelope is recalculated annually based on gasoline sales from the previous year. Individual municipal allocations are determined through a formula that considers transit ridership and population growth, ensuring stable support for communities of all sizes, including rural and small municipalities that rely heavily on provincial assistance to maintain transit services.
Gas Tax funding can be used to expand service hours, add or modify routes, purchase new buses or specialized vehicles, improve accessibility features and support operating costs to maintain or grow ridership. Ontario’s nearly $70‑billion investment in public transit includes the largest transit expansion in North America, featuring major projects such as the Ontario Line subway, the Yonge North Subway Extension, the Scarborough Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
For residents of Chatham‑Kent–Leamington, local leaders say the latest Gas Tax funding will help ensure transit remains reliable, accessible and responsive to community needs — now and in the years ahead.
