Federal support for transit key to climate, affordability, and economic goals

In Canada’s biggest cities, public transit systems are at a crossroads. With the twin shocks of the pandemic and rising inflation—as well as limited and reduced revenue tools—many transit agencies are now facing the prospect of cutting services and raising fares just to survive. This will inevitably lead to lower ridership, forcing further service cuts and fare hikes—the so-called “transit death spiral” that is playing out in other cities across North America. We can’t afford to let this happen in Canada. Brad West is the mayor of Port Coquitlam, B.C., and chair of Metro Vancouver’s Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation. Photograph courtesy of the City of Port Coquitlam Transit is a basic utility like electricity or drinking water. It provides a critical service that keeps cities moving, working, and thriving, while limiting the number of cars on the road which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With new federal immigration targets forecast to bring millions more people to our urban regions over the coming decades, it is imperative that governments not only preserve existing transit services, but also expand them so we can give people choices for how they get around, putting more affordable housing and employment opportunities within reach. A delegation of 12 mayors from Metro Vancouver are bringing this message to Ottawa this week. Metro Vancouver’s transit system is back to—and in some places exceeding—pre-pandemic ridership levels and is struggling to keep up with demand. Looking ahead, the region is expected to grow by 50,000 people annually and by over one million people by 2050, thanks in large part to new federal immigration targets. Under these conditions, it makes sense to move forward with our new transit expansion plan, titled Access for Everyone, without delay. The plan includes 170 km of new rapid transit and doubling bus services across the region. By providing better services, we can make public transit more appealing and useful, giving people a reason to leave their cars at home and providing those without any other option a way to get to work, buy groceries, or visit family and friends. We know it works because we’ve seen it before. From 2016-2020, when Metro Vancouver received federal and provincial funding for our previous transit expansion plan, we saw record-setting ridership growth as soon as new services were added. We have heard loud and clear from Metro Vancouver residents that they expect all levels of government to work together to deliver our Access for Everyone plan, and they want us to move forward without delay. From the extensive public consultation we completed when developing this plan, we know there is majority support among drivers and transit users from every corner of the region. You would have trouble finding city-dwellers or politicians at any level of government who are opposed to transit expansion. And yet, Canada hasn’t got it right when it comes to funding public transit. The federal government’s new Permanent Transit Fund (PTF), promised in 2021, isn’t scheduled to start until 2026. This leaves Metro Vancouver’s transit agency, TransLink, without federal funding for two years. Now is the critical moment to invest in our long-term transit needs, but we can’t do it without federal and provincial support. As mayors in one of the country’s fastest growing urban regions, we’re asking the federal government to accelerate delivery of the PTF, and join local and provincial governments across the country in a conversation about modernizing the funding model for transit. Other regions like Greater Toronto and Montreal may have different challenges, ridership trends, and expansion plans compared with Metro Vancouver, but we all suffer from an archaic funding model. The revenue sources that transit agencies have relied upon for generations are not sustainable over the long term. Fuel taxes are declining faster than expected due to the adoption of zero-emission vehicles. Regressive funding sources such as property tax are not equitable and put pressure on the cost of living. And there is limited capacity for transit users to absorb fare increases, especially when considering many transit users are among our most vulnerable citizens. As governments—federal, provincial, and local—we know what we need to do to prepare for population growth and move our cities forward. Let’s get to work. Brad West is the mayor of Port Coquitlam, B.C., and chair of Metro Vancouver’s Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation. The Hill Times

Federal support for transit key to climate, affordability, and economic goals

A delegation of 12 mayors from Metro Vancouver are bringing their message to Ottawa this week as they try to draw the federal government's attention to public transit.

The federal public transit fund sits at the intersection of economic and climate progress for Canadians

Important first steps to build a 21st century transit network

High hopes for VIA’s high-frequency rail network

The federal public transit fund sits at the intersection of economic and climate progress for Canadians

The Online News Act must protect access to credible news on prominent platforms

Canada’s top general needs to apologize for honouring a Nazi SS soldier

Canada needs an inquiry into COVID-19’s lessons

Supporting Canada’s seniors is a year-round endeavour

Most Armenians say they don’t expect ever to go home again

Tackling transit shortfalls: key to recovery

A holistic view of transit needed in the national infrastructure assessment

COVID-19 changing the infrastructure lens across Canada

Transit tripped up: the effect of COVID-19 and the future of public transit

Pandemic driving urban transportation transition

News

Get free news updates

Opinion

Submit a guest opinion article

resources

Advertise

subscribe

get help

Federal support for transit key to climate, affordability, and economic goals

A delegation of 12 mayors from Metro Vancouver are bringing their message to Ottawa this week as they try to draw the federal government's attention to public transit.

Get The Weekend Point of View Newsletter