Canada transit agencies call for stronger federal investment

Canada's three largest public transit agencies have jointly submitted recommendations to the federal government ahead of the fall budget season. Combined, the three agencies face more than CA$50 billion in unfunded capital needs over the next decade.

The three-pronged submission from Societe de transport de Montreal (STM), the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and TransLink asks the government to:

• Reverse a decision made in the 2025 budget that reduced the 10-year, CA$30 billion Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) program by CA$5 billion, or 17%, creating significant uncertainty for transit agencies planning major capital projects.
• Simplify the CPTF funding approval process for shovel-ready projects. The agencies note major public transit projects are ready to move forward, but complex approval processes risk slowing delivery, increasing costs and delaying benefits for customers. The agencies want the federal government to modernize the funding framework and move faster on projects where procurement and construction are ready to begin.
• Make CPTF a permanent, inflation-adjusted program after the initial 10-year period. The agencies are also calling for the fund to be indexed to inflation and construction costs and for the federal government to maintain the C$3 billion (US$2.2 billion) annual commitment beyond 2036. The agencies note long-term certainty is essential for agencies planning major infrastructure, fleet and state-of-good-repair investments.

"Long-term certainty is essential for agencies planning major infrastructure, fleet and state-of-good-repair investments," they added. "When Canada's three largest transit agencies are all raising the same priority, the message is clear: the CPTF is a critical national program that needs to be restored, strengthened and made predictable for the long term."

Source: STM