The Federal Government has slashed funding from public services (like transit) to fund the military and cut taxes for the rich.
The Federal Budget terminated the Canada Public Transit Fund before it even began, folding it into the "Building Communities Strong" Fund (Page 309 of the Federal Budget). As part of the move, $5 billion has been cut from public transit funding. By moving our dedicated federal transit funding into a more generalized funding pot with competing needs for different kinds of infrastructure, this leaves less money on the table for urgent transit repairs and much-needed transit projects in Toronto - including funding the repair backlog to address subway slow zones, or funding new LRT and subway projects to address congestion.
These cuts will make congestion worse, transit more unreliable, and climate worse.
Our ask is clear:
- Reverse the $5 billion cut to the Canada Public Transit Fund and double the fund so the TTC can address repair backlogs and build much-needed transit projects
- Provide stable, recurring operations funding for the TTC to ensure Torontonians can continue to afford transit and be able to get to school and work on time
The Canada Public Transit Fund was necessary to ensure Toronto was able to fund an order for new Line 2 trains to replacing aging subway cars. This was a much-needed investment in safety and reliability. Without necessary funding to keep Toronto's transit afloat amid a billion-dollar repair backlog, we could see longer waits between trains and buses, fare hikes, and more breakdowns on transit.
