Greater Sudbury receives $2.9M for city's transit system

Caroline Mulroney, Ontario's Minister of Transportation, announced Wednesday that Sudbury's transit system is receiving $2.9 million. (Molly Frommer/CTV News)

Sudbury -

Caroline Mulroney, Ontario's Minister of Transportation, announced Wednesday that Sudbury's transit system is receiving $2.9 million.

The announcement comes after Ontario decided to extend its 2020-2021 gas tax program funding to Greater Sudbury.

Mayor Brian Bigger said the money will go toward transportation infrastructure.

“It will also go towards helping us acquire new buses," Bigger said. "Our strategy (is) to reduce the impact on the environment and so new more efficient buses and more environmentally buses in the fleet also saves us on repair expenses.”

In total, the province is providing $375 million in gas tax funding to 109 municipalities in Ontario.

Mulroney said the government is committed to supporting public transit, especially after the critical role transit drivers played throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We didn’t stop during the pandemic -- we all saw how essential public transit is and making sure that our frontline workers get to work and get home safely,” she said.

Mulroney said Sudbury was the largest recipient in northern Ontario.