The government of Ontario is opening funding for transit projects outside of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Up to C$1.62 billion (US$1.21 billion) in joint provincial and federal funding will be made available to 85 eligible municipalities.
The funds, which are available under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), can be used toward construction, expansion and improvement of public transit networks.
Those municipalities outside the GTHA will be able to nominate their projects for the ICIP funding beginning April 2.
"Our communities count on commuter infrastructure to get people to work and home again to their families," said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Infrastructure. "Our government's investment will make public transit infrastructure better, safer, and more accessible."
The province says that, in total, ICIP will unlock up to C$30 billion (US$22.37 billion) in combined federal, provincial and local investments in Ontario communities as part of a 10-year bilateral agreement. Ontario’s share per project will be up to 33.33 percent, or C$10.2 billion (US$7.61 billion) spread across four streams: Rural and Northern; Public Transit; Green and Community, Culture and Recreation.
"Our economy, our communities and our families all rely on infrastructure," said Minister McNaughton. "The Public Transit stream will build and improve urban transit networks and service extensions that will transform the way that the people of Ontario live, move and work."
Municipalities can apply for all ICIP funding streams using the Grants Ontario website, a 'one-window' source that handles application intake, review, nomination, reporting and transfer payment management processes.
The nomination phase will be open through May 14, 2019.
