Transit agencies and rider organizations across Canada welcomed the Canada Public Transit Fund in July 2024. The $30 billion fund will support good Canadian jobs over a 10-year period. Functional transit systems are integral to a strong Canadian economy and tackling congestion. Transit gets people to work and makes life more affordable.
Public transit systems continue to struggle financially from pandemic impacts and their reliance on farebox revenue for operating budgets. Ridership in most Canadian cities has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, yet roads are more congested than ever. When agencies respond by cutting service, they risk driving away more transit users.
Environmental Defence, TTCriders, Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders, Trajectoire Québec, Activate Transit Windsor Essex, and Équiterre circulated a survey to all federal Liberal Party leadership candidates to learn about their commitments to expand the Canada Public Transit Fund to ensure that federal transit investments are sufficient to support a strong economy.
1. Will you make Canada Public Transit Fund flexible, so that cities have the freedom to use it for their most urgent needs?
Currently, the fund is limited to capital projects, which means that agencies cannot use it to stop service cuts, make fares more affordable or to fund increased transit service, such as added frequency or more routes. The current mismatch between capital and operations funding has created a significant build-up of under-utilized capacity to run additional transit service with existing infrastructure.
| Frank Baylis |
"It is important to respect the various competencies of the different levels of government. While the Canada Public Transit Fund can be used for capital projects, operations fall under the mandate of the local transport authority." |
| Mark Carney |
No response provided. |
| Chrystia Freeland |
"As the Member of Parliament for University—Rosedale, Chrystia knows strong public transit keeps cities thriving. That is why she was proud to fund, as the Minister of Finance, the Canada Public Transit Fund, which delivers the largest federal transit investment in history—$1.2 billion for Toronto—to build and maintain the systems Canadians depend on. To access this federal funding, municipalities must change their zoning by-laws to build more housing near transit."
- Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Chrystia Freeland leadership campaign |
| Karina Gould |
No response provided. |
2. Will you expand the Canada Public Transit Fund?
According to modelling conducted by Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors for Environmental Defence and Équiterre, Canada can double public transit ridership by 2035 and reduce carbon emissions by 65 million tonnes by expanding the Canada Public Transit Fund by approximately $3 billion per year with cost share requirements for provinces and municipalities.
| Frank Baylis |
"I commit to increasing the Canada Public Transit Fund. With Canada's Paris Accord commitment to emissions reduction and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, expanding transit infrastructure is a key part of meeting climate goals. Improved transit networks get more people out of personal vehicles, reducing emissions but also acting favourably in reducing urban sprawl and promoting more sustainable land use. I would act to increase the Canada Public Transit Fund by an annual percentage rather than dollar amount. This will keep the fund in line with various factors including projects submitted, annual rate of inflation, and overall budgetary capacity as pertains to balancing various platform objectives." |
| Mark Carney |
No response provided. |
| Chrystia Freeland |
"As Prime Minister, Chrystia is excited to build on the $30 billion that has been invested in public transit since 2015. In collaboration with all orders of government, Chrystia will ensure sustained, predictable transit funding so Canadians have access to reliable, affordable, and modern public transportation."
- Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Chrystia Freeland leadership campaign
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| Karina Gould |
No response provided. |
3. Will you commit to including targets for increasing the share of trips made by public and active transportation in Canada’s climate plan?
Canada’s climate plan currently only has targets to increase the sale of zero-emission vehicles but no targets to increase the use of public and active transportation as measurable outcomes for Canada’s investments in these sectors.
| Frank Baylis |
Here again, it would be an infringement on territorial governments’ authority to set targets for public and active transportation, which they do according to their knowledge of the specificities of both their transit systems and their ridership. I would certainly work to support municipal and territorial governments in helping them meet their targets. |
| Mark Carney |
No response provided. |
| Chrystia Freeland |
No response provided. |
| Karina Gould |
No response provided. |
The Frank Baylis campaign shared these additional details about public transit:
"I would like to add that to improve public transportation, Canada needs to prioritize not just urban public transportation, but also intercity connectivity and develop infrastructure that supports small and medium-sized cities. Enhancing transit options outside major cities can distribute opportunities more evenly and reduce the reliance on cars, aligning with Canada’s climate goals. It's essential to create a balanced transportation system where cars are an option, not a necessity, fostering a more sustainable and accessible environment for all Canadians. To do so we would work with communities based on the following three orientations:
- Infrastructure to Connect Suburban Communities: Developing transit systems that connect suburban areas directly without routing through downtown cores can alleviate congestion and reduce travel times.
- Connecting Small and Medium-Sized Cities: Enhancing intercity transport infrastructure to link smaller cities directly can distribute economic opportunities more evenly and reduce the pressure on major urban centers
- Rural Public Transportation: Rural public transportation is often assumed to be impossible, however we have a model to follow based on the current school bus system. Adopting models like the school bus system for rural areas can provide a viable alternative to car dependency, improving accessibility and reducing emissions. This can also be achieved by simplifying regulation to allow for more car and ride sharing in rural communities."
Background about this survey:
There is growing consensus that the federal government should invest in transit operating costs
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In October 2024, mayors and transit board chairs representing urban regions across Canada met in Ottawa to call on the federal government to work with local and provincial governments to address the funding crisis facing the country’s largest transit agencies, and develop a new, sustainable funding model for public transportation.
- The federal government provides money for cities to buy new buses and trains, but does not invest in running service. This is why over 1700 buses currently sit idle across Canada, according to Environmental Defence.
- Federal support for transit operating budgets would be a quick and effective way to increase ridership by enabling transit systems to get their idle vehicles running again.
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The Affordability Action Council has recommended that the proposed Permanent Public Transit Fund be accelerated, and designed so that municipalities can use the fund to support operating budget needs.
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Nearly 100 organizations across Canada signed a letter in advance of the 2024 federal budget, encouraging investment in transit operations funding.
According to a report from Environmental Defence and Equiterre, if the Canada Public Transit Fund includes policies such as public transit operating funding, federal strings to encourage housing density near public transit, and incentives for cities to speed up public transit service with dedicated bus lanes, Canada can:
- Double public transit ridership by 2035;
- Achieve more than 30% of all travel in major cities (like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal) being made by public transit and 20% overall across Canada;
- Reduce Vehicle Kilometres Travelled by 35% below 2019 levels by 2035;
- Reduce transport-related carbon emissions by 65 million tonnes by 2035.
Federal party leaders and Liberal MPs support transit operating funding, including Minister Nate Erskine-Smith:
Five Members of Parliament have signed the TTCriders “Transit Pledge” in 2024, which reads: “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.”
MPs Shaun Chen, Nate Erskine-Smith, and Salma Zahid have signed, and Jagmeet Singh and Elizabeth May both signed as leaders of their parties.