Cornwall Ontario – On Thursday, March 7, The Ontario PC Caucus, joined by several NDP members, secured the passage in Second Reading of MPP John Yakabuski’s Gasoline Tax Fairness for All Act. MPP Jim McDonell was pleased to see the Bill passed, considering the Liberals’ opposition.

MPP McDonell commented: “Rural Ontarians pay the same gas tax as their urban counterparts and receive none of it back.  Rural infrastructure provides us with less choice in our means of transportation and we must use cars, yet we subsidize cities with established transit systems. It is time all rural municipalities received a share of the gas tax, which they can then invest for the benefit of their residents”.

The last attempt to pass this Bill was defeated on April 5, 2012 due to numerous members of the Liberal caucus voting against it, including Grant Crack (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell), Jeff Leal (Peterborough), Kathleen Wynne (now Premier), Glen Murray (now Minister of Transportation) and Bob Chiarelli (then Transportation, now Energy Minister).

MPP McDonell stated: “The Liberals have not seen their error, or they would have endorsed this Bill. They are completely out of touch with rural municipalities, their residents and their needs. They want the Liberal Government to return them the tax money that is rightfully theirs. The Bill was referred to the Committee which I sit on and where the PCs and NDP hold a majority of votes, and I will fight to have it examined and sent to the House for Third Reading.”

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Do you agree with MPP Jim McDonell that rural Ontario should get a larger share of the gasoline tax or is this gas tax vital to sustaining and properly funding vital transit systems throughout Ontario, including smaller cities like Cornwall, and larger cities like Kingston and Toronto? Post your opinions below or write a letter to the editor.