The Canada Public Transit Fund - Reactions and Analysis

Read our newsletter for analysis about the recently-announced Canada Public Transit Fund, and why we are asking federal MPs to speed it up and allow cities to use it for running more frequent service. 

Canada Public Transit Fund details announced

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) is now open for applications. This is a big step forward in our campaign for federal transit funding! But it falls short of what transit riders need today.

We wanted to share with you some of the reactions to this announcement, our thoughts, and our next steps (see more reactions on our Instagram here).

 

As you can see, the reactions are mixed! Permanent federal funding for public transit is incredibly important, but there are some things missing from this announcement.

The good news is:

  • The TTC has already submitted an application for funding for new subway trains on Line 2!

The bad news is:

  • Cities won’t have the choice to use federal funding to run more frequent, reliable service.
  • Federal funding will not be sent to cities until 2026.
  • Cities across the country will be competing for this money, and it won’t be enough to meet everyone’s needs!

For example, the TTC alone needs $2.4 billion each year on average to keep the system in a state of good repair, according to Toronto's latest corporate asset management plan.

New Trains?

The Canada Public Transit Fund is a good start, but at present it isn’t enough. It is good news that the TTC has been able to apply for funding for new trains, but this is hardly a guarantee. The TTC needs to order new trains soon, because Line 2 trains will start to reach the end of their design life in 2026. That’s the same year that Toronto will host several FIFA World Cup games: Thousands of visitors will arrive in Toronto and use the TTC to get around.  

TTCriders will follow the progress of the TTC's application and we will continue asking all MPs and federal party leaders to commit to fund new subway trains.

 

Better Service?

The Canada Public Transit Fund will not improve TTC service today. The Fund can be used to purchase new transit vehicles and build new infrastructure, but it won’t help to pay for gas or hire the drivers, mechanics, and other workers who are needed to operate vehicles so our buses arrive more frequently. We want the CPTF to be flexible so cities have the choice to use the money to improve service, and this money should be available NOW, not in 2026.

 

Not Enough

It is clear that the money the federal government has allocated to this fund is not enough. The Canada Public Transit Fund will distribute $30 billion over 10 years (or $3 billion per year on average). But this funding is supposed to help transit agencies across the whole country, and $500 million per year will be set aside for targeted priorities like rural and Indigenous communities.

Toronto will be competing with cities like Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, and so many others, to get money from the remaining $2.5 billion each year. If the TTC's request for $758 million to pay for Line 2 trains is approved, this project alone would use up 25% of one year's funding for all of Canada. Meanwhile, the TTC needs about $2.4 billion each year just to keep our transit system in a state of good repair.

For the Canada Public Transit Fund to make a big difference for transit riders, more federal money needs to be made available.

 

The Transit Pledge

TTCriders has asked the leaders of the 4 major federal parties and every MP in Toronto to sign a transit pledge:

“I pledge my support for immediate federal funding for new TTC subway trains, accelerating the Permanent Public Transit Fund, and making it available for transit operating budgets.”

 

On Monday, July 15, Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the Federal NDP, became the first person to sign.

 

On Tuesday, July 16, Elizabeth May, leader of the Federal Green Party, became the second person to sign.

 

What Is Next?

TTCriders has been contacting federal MPs and requesting meetings to talk about transit funding for months. Groups of volunteers across the city will be preparing and meeting together to ask our MPs to sign the pledge. Until the requests in the transit pledge are met, we will keep asking MPs to sign!

Do you want to take the next step and meet with your MP? If you are interested in working with other TTCriders volunteers and members or want to join a group in your riding, email [email protected]!

If you have questions about the Canada Public Transit Fund, check out these links for more information: 

 

 

Latest posts

How are your Don Valley West candidates promising to improve public transit?

We’ve asked candidates whether they’ll invest in more TTC service, protect door-to-door Wheel-Trans service, expand TTC’s low-income discount, approve fare capping and more. View candidates’ detailed answers to our survey, information about their transit platforms, and more.

Letter & Survey: TTC must exchange expired tokens and tickets

Do you still have TTC tokens or paper senior/student tickets or day passes? The TTC has announced that they will stop accepting TTC tokens and paper tickets after December 31, 2024. But the TTC will not be issuing exchanges. This is unfair to people who have saved up tokens and tickets, especially low-income seniors. Gift cards and permanent stamps never expire --  why are transit fares any different?

“Rally to Fix the TTC” calls for investment in repairing subway slow zones during National Transit Week

(Toronto, ON) – Transit advocacy organization TTCriders will hold a rally today at 5:00pm outside Bathurst Subway Station to call on federal Members of Parliament to invest in TTC repairs and new subway trains on Line 2 by accelerating implementation of the Canada Public Transit Fund. The rally is part of a national “Transit Action Week” being organized in 5 Canadian cities. (Cantonese, Mandarin, French spokespeople available.)

Take action

Add your name for Fare Capping!
Tell Your MP: Sign the Transit Pledge
Bus lanes now
Protect Wheel-Trans Service
Keep and Expand Free TTC Wi-Fi!

Connect with us