Federal government invests in rural transit in Belleville

Belleville, Ont., will receive $2.8 million from the federal government to upgrade and modernize its rural transit fleet. Announced by MP Chris Malette and Mayor Neil Ellis, the funding will help the city buy two accessible hybrid buses and three accessible minibuses to replace aging vehicles. The investment is intended to improve access to reliable rural transit in Belleville and surrounding communities.

The funding is in addition to support through the Canada Public Transit Fund’s Baseline Funding stream. In 2025, the federal government announced an annual allocation for Belleville totalling more than $4.5 million over 10 years. That funding can be used to upgrade, replace or modernize the city’s public transit infrastructure and keep it in a state of good repair.

The federal government says transit investments can help communities increase housing supply and affordability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Malette, the MP for Bay of Quinte, said the investment would replace aging vehicles, strengthen rural transit connections and make transportation more accessible. He said it builds on long-term federal funding to modernize and maintain the city’s transit infrastructure and support a more sustainable, connected and accessible Belleville.

Ellis, speaking on behalf of Belleville City Council, thanked the Government of Canada for investing in rural transit solutions. He said residents rely on transit daily to stay connected to the community and that the investment would help build a more accessible and reliable system.

The federal government is investing a total of $2.8 million in rural transit solutions through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF), while the City of Belleville is contributing $1.135 million. The RTSF supports fixed-route and flex-route transit, demand-response transit, community shuttles and Mobility-as-a-Service. It also funds fixed infrastructure that improves access to public transit, as well as vehicle purchases. At least 10 per cent of RTSF funding is allocated to projects that benefit Indigenous populations and communities.

One in five Canadians lives in a rural community. Rural communities account for nearly 30 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product. The RTSF complements the federal climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, through which the government has committed to funding public transit to help make clean, affordable transportation available in every community.

The government says it is strengthening the economy by investing in Canadians and supporting Canadian businesses, and that federal actions are creating good jobs, accelerating homebuilding and helping communities grow across the country. Federal funding is conditional on signing a contribution agreement.