(L-R: Neil Ellis, Mayor for the City of Belleville, Chris Malette, MP Bay of Quinte, Councillor Garnet Thompson, Councillor Margaret Seu, Joseph Reid, Director of Transportation and Operations, Brad Strauss, Manager of Transit) Photo: MP Chris Malette's Office/Submitted
The rural transit fleet in Belleville is receiving a boost thanks to federal funding.
It was announced Friday by Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis and Bay of Quinte MP Chris Malette that the city will upgrade and modernize its rural transit fleet following an investment of $2.8 million.
The city is expected to purchase two accessible hybrid buses and three accessible minibuses to replace aging vehicles.
This is in addition to a federal investment through the Canada Public Transit Fund’s Baseline Funding stream. In 2025, the federal government announced an annual funding allocation for Belleville, amounting to over $4.5 million over 10 years.
Officials say this funding will improve access to reliable rural transit services in Belleville and surrounding communities.
“This investment in transit will replace aging vehicles, strengthen rural transit connections, and make transportation more accessible for residents of our community,” Malete stated.
“It builds on the long-term federal funding the City is receiving to modernize and maintain its transit infrastructure. Together, these investments are helping to build a more sustainable, connected, and accessible Belleville.”
“On behalf of Belleville City Council, I want to thank the Government of Canada for the investments they are making in rural transit solutions,” added Mayor Neil Ellis.
“Our residents rely on our transit daily to stay connected to the community. This investment is helping us build a more accessible and reliable transit system for our residents.”
The City of Belleville is contributing more than $1.1 million to funding the fleet upgrades, separate from the feds funding total.
