Stratford wins $9.79M to replace buses and upgrade transit facilities

What’s happening

• A joint investment of $9,787,100 (federal $3,914,840; provincial $3,262,040; municipal $2,610,220) will fund transit upgrades in Stratford.

Who it affects

• Transit riders in the City of Stratford, including people who use mobility services.

By the numbers

• Federal funding supports 14 projects in Stratford through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream.
• Stratford also received $513,030 through the 2025–26 Ontario Gas Tax program.
• Bus storage will be expanded by 10,000 sq ft.

What will change

• Fleet: replace two conventional buses with 40-foot hybrid buses, add two 40-foot hybrid-electric buses, replace two 8-metre mobility buses, and add one 24-foot mobility bus.
• Facilities: expand and modernize a transit garage, replace fuel tanks and the bus wash system, and expand bus storage.
• Customer experience: enhanced GPS on select buses, install or upgrade 20 transit stops with shelters, and introduce a new mobile rider app.

Why it matters

• The upgrades aim to improve reliability, accessibility and environmental performance of Stratford’s transit system and support local construction and manufacturing activity as projects move ahead.