The permanent Dedicated Public Transit Fund (provincial gas tax funding) is 10 years old this year and a victim of its own success. Many Ontario transit systems find themselves in a challenging position – back to 2019 ridership levels but having to cut services and raise fares to meet budget. Even those systems below pre-pandemic ridership levels are still experiencing growth – in off-peak hours, on their local bus routes, among students and other transit-dependent demographics. Operating support for transit is desperately needed.
