Transit services across the Ottawa Valley are set to benefit from new provincial funding aimed at keeping them operational.
On Wednesday, April 8, the Ontario government announced it will provide $466,355 to various municipalities in the Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke area. This funding comes from the 2025-26 Gas Tax program and is intended for initiatives like extending route hours, purchasing new vehicles, and improving accessibility.
The City of Pembroke, along with Laurentian Valley, will receive $118,783. This investment focuses not on having buses everywhere but on ensuring that vulnerable residents have access to transportation through support for the Pembroke and Laurentian Valley Handi-Bus service.
“This Gas Tax funding allocation enables the Friends of the Disabled (Pembroke and Laurentian Valley Handi-Bus) to continue to provide reliable service to seniors and individuals with intellectual and physical impairments,” said Pembroke Mayor Ron Gervais. “These funds and this service greatly enhances the lives of so many in our two municipalities.”
MORE: Pembroke Laurentian Valley Handi-Bus receives new van thanks to grant funding
The Town of Renfrew secured the largest local amount at $245,313. Mayor Tom Sidney pointed out that while rural areas may lack “traditional” transit options, this funding serves as a lifeline for Sunshine Coach services, helping residents get to medical appointments and schools not only in Renfrew but also in nearby towns such as Admaston/Bromley, Whitewater Region, Bonnechere Valley, Greater Madawaska, and Horton.
To the east, Arnprior Mayor Lisa Mc Gee expressed appreciation for a $27,713 allocation that supports the Arnprior-Braeside-Mc Nab Seniors at Home program. Petawawa also received $74,546 from this provincial initiative.
Local MPP Billy Denault advocated for this funding by stating that residents in the Valley “deserve access to reliable transit services that gets them where they need to go quickly and safely.”
“The funding we’re announcing today is good news for the people in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke as our government continues to protect Ontario by making historic investments in transportation and transit.”
The provincial gas tax distribution is based on gas sales from the previous year with two cents per litre allocated specifically for public transit.
Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria mentioned that the $380 million being distributed across 107 municipalities province-wide through the 2025-26 Gas Tax program forms part of a larger $70 billion plan for transit expansion.
“Today we’re ensuring municipalities can continue delivering safe and reliable transit services for their communities,” Sarkaria said in a press release.
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