Your guide to federal election transit promises

The October 21st federal election is your chance to vote for better public transit. Read TTCriders’ analysis below on the top transit issues facing Toronto, and what the federal parties are promising.

THE ISSUES:

VOTE:
  • Find your nearest voting location and learn how to vote at Elections.ca.
  • You can vote in advance between October 11 to 14, from 9am to 9pm. You can also vote at an Elections Canada office before October 15th at 6pm.
ASK YOUR CANDIDATES: 
  • Will you provide stable operating funding to local transit so riders get lower fares and better service? 
  • Do you support keeping our transit system public, and opposing privatization?
  • What will you do to fix the TTC’s capital budget gap?
Note: TTCriders is a non-partisan organization. This guide summarizes and gives context to federal election promises, and highlights TTCriders' positions on key transit issues.

Questions? Did we miss a party's federal election commitment that should be listed? Contact us at [email protected] or 647-775-8185.

THE ISSUE: FUNDING CRUNCH

The TTC needs $33.5 billion dollars over the next 15 years just to maintain the existing system. Two-thirds of this capital budget is not funded.

Premier Ford’s government broke a campaign promise to double transit funding to more than 100 municipalities across the province. As a result, Toronto is losing $1.1 billion over the next 10 years. Transit agencies across Ontario are raising fares because of provincial funding cuts.

Toronto receives infrastructure funding through the federal gas tax fund. In 2019 Toronto received $169.4 million, which it spent on TTC streetcars and accessibility upgrades. Toronto also receives federal funding through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund

WHAT THE PARTIES ARE PROMISING:

Conservative Green Liberal NDP
Promising to contribute funding for the Yonge Subway Extension and Premier Ford’s plans for an Ontario Line, but funding for these projects is not detailed or costed in Conservative platform. The Conservative platform outlines $18 billion in infrastructure cuts over 5 years.  

Toronto City Council has not endorsed the Ontario Line plan, which is replacing the planned Relief Line.

Promising to institutionalize federal transfers to municipalities through the creation of a Municipal Fund (re-named from the gas tax fund), and double current gas tax support. Will create dedicated federal public transit fund of $3.4 billion annually starting in 2028.

Believe that municipalities should lead transit planning.

Promising to contribute $3 billion more per year in stable, predictable funding for cities’ transit needs, in addition to continued transfers through the federal Gas Tax Fund.

Believe that municipalities should lead transit planning.

Promising to create a permanent, direct, allocation-based funding mechanism to expand public transit.

Believe that municipalities should lead transit planning. Will provide “necessary funding” for all rapid transit projects identified as a priority by Toronto’s municipal government.  

 

THE ISSUE: AFFORDABILITY & SERVICE

The TTC receives the lowest subsidy-per-rider of any comparable major transit system in Canada and the United States. That’s why fares have been going up nearly twice as fast as inflation over the last 20 years. Reliable, fast, and affordable transit is needed to increase transit ridership and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The TTC needs more operations funding to lower fares and improve service. The federal government does not currently contribute operations funding to local transit agencies, but this would be a major boost to affordability and service improvements.

WHAT THE PARTIES ARE PROMISING: 

Conservative Green Liberal NDP
Will re-introduce a 15% public transit tax credit for monthly passes, or frequently used electronic cards, which was cancelled by Liberal government in 2017. The Green Public Transit Tax Credit will benefit some riders who can afford the upfront cost of a monthly pass, but the previous tax credit was unsuccessful at increasing ridership and won’t make transit affordable for all. Will provide financial support to provinces that provide free public transit passes to people living below the poverty line or receiving social assistance.

Will make employer-provided transit passes tax-free. Goal of zero-emission transit by 2040. 

No commitments to operations funding or affordability measures.

Promising to spend $700-million over four years to electrify 5,000 transit vehicles.  Will require new federal investments in public transit are used to support zero-emission buses and rail, starting in 2023.

Will provide $6 billion over the next 4 years to reduce fares and invest in electric buses, with goal of zero-emission fleet by 2030. Promising to work with interested municipalities to work towards fare-free transit. Platform does not represent enough funding to make transit free across Canada. The TTC alone would need $1.3 billion each year to become fare-free, without any service improvements.
 

THE ISSUE: PRIVATIZATION

When transit is built with a public-private partnership (P3) model, global construction and tech companies profit. The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) was established by the federal Liberal government to make investments in infrastructure alongside pension funds and private corporations. Billions of dollars are making their way into the pockets of multinational building consortia through the CIB, including SNC Lavalin. The CIB has invested in the Réseau Électrique de Montréal (REM), which will be operated for profit.

Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk found that public-private partnerships (P3s) cost the public $8 billion more than if they had been delivered publicly. Public financing is cheaper, because governments can borrow at a lower cost. 

Just look at Presto: a public-private partnership between Metrolinx and Accenture that is over-budget by hundreds of millions of dollars. The Eglinton Crosstown is a P3 run by Metrolinx that is costing more than anticipated; the private consortium building the Crosstown successfully sued Metrolinx for an undisclosed sum over delays.

WHAT THE PARTIES ARE PROMISING: 

Conservative Green Liberal NDP
Supports P3s. Will dismantle the Canada Infrastructure Bank.  Does not support P3s. Wants CIB to reduce interest rates to municipalities on loans for infrastructure projects. Supports P3s and created Canada Infrastructure Bank.  Does not support P3s. Will dismantle the Canada Infrastructure Bank. 
 

ELECTION ROUND-UP

Here’s what pro-transit organizations are saying about the federal election:

ATU Canada is calling for national, public intercity transit, “as part of a Green New Deal for social, economic and environmental justice and tangible reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.”

The Canadian Urban Transit Association is calling for an additional portion of the gas tax to be dedicated to public transit. They are also asking parties to commit to develop a funding program that will help to make Canada's transit fleets greener.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is calling on all parties to commit to a permanent federal funding mechanism for public transit, and additional funding to electrify transit vehicles. Specifically, FCM is calling for $34 billion over ten years starting in 2028-29, in addition to preserving existing federal commitments ($23.2 billion over 10 years from 2018-19 to 2027-28). Check their federal policy tracker for more info.

Transport Action Ontario has released a series of policy briefs on federal transportation issues.

Check out some of the media coverage about Toronto transit and the federal election from CBC and Global News.

Are you a Millennial or part of Gen Z? Check out Future Majority’s voting tool to find out which federal policies will best address the issues that matter to you.       

Questions? Did we miss a party's federal election commitment that should be listed? Contact us at [email protected] or 647-775-8185.

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