Transportation Assistance Support Program

The Transportation Assistance Support Program will run from May 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 (“Program Period”). 

Funding under this Program is used exclusively for scratch tickets, which are distributed in bundles of 100. No other transportation costs or resident needs will be funded. Approved scratch ticket allocations will be made available for pickup by approved Applicants at York Region South Services Centre, 50 High Tech Rd, Richmond Hill. It is the responsibility of approved Applicants to coordinate directly with YRT to arrange ticket collection.

Scratch tickets are to be distributed solely to residents living with income at or below the limits listed below: 

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 11-10-0232-01 Low income measure (LIM) thresholds by income source and household size, 2023 Low Income Measure +15% 

Transit fares provided through this Program are strictly for client/resident use, are not permitted for resale, and may not be distributed in large batches to residents.

Approved ticket allocations must be collected by approved Applicants by June 26, 2026.

Due to the limited funds, only one application per Applicant is permitted and requests must be for a minimum of 1 bundle (100 scratch tickets) and may not exceed 10 bundles (1,000 scratch tickets). 

Note: 1 bundle (100 scratch tickets) is equivalent to $412.

4.1 General Criteria

Agencies must meet all the following criteria:

• An organization receiving funding under the Community Investment Fund and/or United Way Greater Toronto pursuant to a binding funding arrangement that will terminate no earlier than [DATE OF CLOSE OF CALL FOR APPLICATIONS].
• Be incorporated under the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, S.O. 2010, c. 15, or the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (S.C. 2009, c. 23) as a not-for-profit organization or registered charity for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada), or, for those Applicants that are not incorporated, a Flow-Through partnering arrangement must be made with a not-for-profit incorporated organization.
• Have or will have established at time of contracting, a York Region location providing programs and services to York Region residents.
• Is governed by an incorporated board of directors democratically elected, active, with no more than three members related by blood or marriage and can provide a current list of members.
• Have established and documented financial management systems in place and able to provide the latest annual audited financial statements or a review engagement report, upon request.
• Provide evidence of insurance coverage that is acceptable to York Region upon request.
• Comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code in hiring practices and in the provision of all services.  
• Comply with relevant federal, provincial and municipal laws including Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
• Organizations that operate within the boundaries of York Region and provide services to residents of York Region.  

4.2 Ineligible Applicants

• Organizations not receiving funding under the Community Investment Fund and/or United Way Greater Toronto as of [DATE OF CLOSE OF CALL FOR APPLICATION
• Individuals
• Agencies that do not provide direct services to residents
• Organizations engaged in political activity supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office
• Organizations where the service component is conditional upon participation in the religious activities of the organization
• Municipalities (excluding libraries)
• For-profit organizations
• Provincial and federal government agencies
• Organizations acting in the capacity of a funding body, fundraising drives/events 

As conditions of the funding, successful agencies will be required to:

1. Enter into a Community Investment Fund funding agreement with York Region.
2. Successful applicants will be required to attend a virtual education session with YRT so they can become familiar with the services available to residents.
3. Survey program participants as to which intersections they plan to travel using the tickets received and maintain a record of the results.
4. Have a consistent method of assessing resident need for transit assistance.
5. Track and record the distribution of fares for unique individual residents on a Schedule provided by York Region.
6. At the end of the Program Period, provide participant testimonials about the service provided and a narrative report describing the success of the project and any factors affecting the outcome of the project.
7. Participate in Program review and/or evaluation in the form or a survey or a focus group, as requested.
8. Provide all reporting to York Region immediately following the end of the Program Period and retain all applicable records for the period specified by York Region. Reporting must be submitted no later than  January 4, 2027.  

Each application will be received with the understanding that acceptance of the offer, in writing by York Region, to provide the services described within the application will support the development of a contract between the Applicant and York Region. The information submitted through the application will be used not only to assess eligibility and alignment with program objectives, but also to inform the development of the contract (if funding is awarded) including deliverables, timelines, and reporting requirements.

York Region may terminate the contract for any reason including, but not limited to, the Applicant’s breach of these Guidelines or the Terms and Conditions. York Region may also terminate the contract, immediately and without liability, in the event that the Applicant fails to enter into the required Community Investment Fund Agreement with York Region as required under these Guidelines. Successful Applicants will be notified of the results of this application by email.

In the event that York Region is of the opinion that the scratch tickets requested in an application is excessive, then York Region may accept the quotation in part or reject the application.

The funded activities of the Transportation Assistance Support Program must be completed by the end of the term of the Community Investment Fund funding agreement. 

For greater clarity, all references to the “Guidelines” in this call for applications include the “Additional Guidelines” set out below.
 

Evaluation and Selection

A Selection Committee will evaluate each application on the basis of all information provided by the Applicant. The Selection Committee will evaluate applications based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Organizational capacity to deliver services and alignment with broader goals and objectives of York Region’s Community Investment Fund Program.
• Potential for impact to the applicant organization and the services they provide to residents. 

Each application will be individually reviewed and scored. York Region reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to follow up with the Applicant to seek further information and/or clarification with respect to any information included in its application. There is limited funding available and there is no guarantee that any application that meets the overall criteria will be funded.

It is each Applicant’s responsibility to seek clarification on any matter that may seem unclear before submitting an application. York Region cannot be held responsible for any misunderstanding of the application by any Applicant.

Funding Agreement

Successful Applicants will be required to enter into a Community Investment Fund Funding Agreement (the “CIF Agreement”) with York Region as a “Funded Agency”. The CIF Agreement will identify the parties’ respective roles and responsibilities and will become legally binding once it is signed, digitally or electronically, by all parties. A failure by a party to perform their duties under the CIF Agreement will be considered a breach of the agreement.

Listed below are the indemnification and insurance requirements deemed necessary by York Region's Risk Manager. These provisions, or similar provisions as considered necessary by York Region, will be included in the funding agreement with York Region as well as additional requirements.

Indemnification

The Funded Agency shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend York Region, its Chair, its Council members, employees, contractors, successors and assigns, from and against all actions, claims, demands, losses, costs (including all legal costs), damages, suits or proceedings whatsoever which may be brought against or made upon York Region and against all losses, liabilities, judgments, claims, suits, demands or expenses which York Region may sustain, suffer or be put to that arise directly or indirectly out of or are attributable to the Funded Agency’s omissions, or failure to exercise reasonable care, skill or diligence in the performance or rendering of any work or service required to be performed by the Funded Agency, its agents and employees. This indemnification shall include any legal costs incurred by York Region on a complete indemnity basis, including those incurred to defend all prosecutions against York Region resulting from the actions or inactions of the Funded Agency.

Insurance Requirements

Without restricting the generality of the requirement to indemnify York Region, the Funded Agency shall obtain, maintain, pay for and provide evidence of the insurance coverage, taken out with insurance companies licensed to transact business in the Province of Ontario and acceptable to York Region’s Risk Manager. Listed below are the insurance requirements deemed necessary for the CIF Agreement by York Region's Risk Manager.

Commercial General Liability Insurance

Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance must include York Region as an Additional Insured, with limits of not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) inclusive per occurrence for bodily and personal injury, death and damage to property including loss of use. The CGL insurance will include Cross Liability and Severability of Interest Clauses, Products and Completed Operations coverage (twelve (12) months), and limits of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) Standard Non-Owned Automobile Liability.

Automobile Liability Insurance

Automobile Liability Insurance in respect of licensed vehicles must have limits of not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) inclusive per occurrence for bodily injury, death and damage to property. Coverage shall be in the form of a standard owner’s form automobile policy providing third party liability and accident benefits insurance and covering licensed vehicles owned and/or leased or operated by or on behalf of the Funded Agency.

Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Insurance

Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Insurance for Non-Profit agencies with a Board of Directors, must have limits of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per claim.

York Region will accept in place of the above-mentioned insurance coverage, a combination of primary liability limits and umbrella insurance or excess liability limits which meet the CGL and/or Automobile Liability coverage limits noted above.

Such coverage must in all respects be satisfactory to York Region’s Risk Manager and shall be maintained continuously by the Funded Agency from either the commencement of the services or the signing of the contract, whichever is earliest. The policies must be endorsed to provide York Region with not less than thirty (30) days’ written notice in advance of cancellation, or any change or amendment restricting coverage.

Agencies shall provide evidence of this coverage on York Region’s Standard Certificate of Insurance form. York Region may, in its sole discretion, revise the Insurance Requirements under the CIF Agreement as it considers necessary.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)

The Funded Agency must be in compliance with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, throughout the term of the agreement and shall submit to York Region a valid and current Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Clearance Certificate prior to commencement of the agreement and at any other time during the agreement at York Region’s request.

Where the Funded Agency is not required to be registered with the WSIB and is not covered by WSIB Optional Insurance, the Funded Agency shall maintain Employers’ Liability Insurance in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA)

Also, the Funded Agency must comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). Under the AODA, York Region must also ensure that every contractor who interacts with the public on behalf of York Region completes training on the requirements about how to serve customers with disabilities, the accessibility standards referred to in the AODA’s Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to people with disabilities. This includes all volunteers, students and employees of the Funded Agency who have a role in providing the service on behalf of York Region. Training materials are available from York Region at no cost to all Agencies to facilitate meeting this requirement.