Durham Region to receive $22.9 million in COVID-19 relief funding from Province

Whitby, Ontario – The following statement is being issued on behalf of John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer for The Regional Municipality of Durham:

“Today, the Province of Ontario announced that Durham Region is receiving more than $22.9 million in COVID-19 relief funding, as part of the larger $4 billion in funding for Ontario municipalities within the Safe Restart Agreement—an investment in federal-provincial financial assistance for municipalities and transit operations.

As revenues decreased and costs increased due to COVID-19, municipalities are facing financial pressures like never before. This phased investment from the Province is vital for Durham Region to continue to provide the important services our communities depend on, such as maintaining public health and shelters.

Of the $22.9 million in funding, $8.4 million is specifically earmarked for Durham Region Transit (DRT). This funding will go a long way to resolving revenue losses and enable DRT to implement the Service Restoration Plan and overall ridership recovery efforts. It will also help to support ongoing sanitization and cleaning protocols that ensure the safety of our passengers and Transit staff.

As we turn our focus to restoration and recovery, we thank the Province in partnership with the Federal Government for their support that will allow us to advance Durham Region’s priorities—job creation, economic strength, community health and safety, restoring and remodelling services, business supports, supports to vulnerable residents, and sustainability—to ensure Durham Region comes out of this stronger than ever.”

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