Infrastructure Spotlight: Improving Public Transit for the 21^st Century

We've come a long way from the early days of our country, when horse-drawn trams and private carriages were enough to meet the public transit needs of Canadians. With the growth and urbanization of our country and ever improving technology, public transit in Canada has changed significantly. From the inauguration of the electric street car service in Vancouver in 1890, the operation of the first municipally-owned streetcars in Calgary in 1909, Toronto's Union Station receiving and dispatching its first passenger trains in 1927, and the opening of Montréal's Métro in 1966, our transit systems have been instrumental to the development of our cities.

Governments at all levels are turning their focus towards the future and projects that will further modernize our transit systems, such as building Vancouver's Evergreen rapid transit line, expanding Calgary's light rail transit system and revitalizing one of Canada's key transportation hubs at Toronto's Union Station.

• Key public transit benefits
• Making our communities more liveable
• Increased public transit investments

Key public transit benefits

Efficient transit systems move commuters to and from centres of employment, commerce and other points of interest. They enhance our quality of life, and help our cities attract and retain business investment and talented people. Better public transit makes it easier for Canadians get to work, to school, to visit the doctor, or to see friends and family.

Effective public transit systems also help reduce urban traffic congestion and the cost of gridlock to our cities' economic competitiveness. Traffic gridlock means increased fuel consumption and air pollution, more public health issues, higher costs from traffic accidents, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and productivity losses. In fact, a national study from Transport Canada^{Read footnote 1} found that congestion in urban areas could cost Canadians as much as $4.6 billion per year.

Ultimately, high-quality public transit systems mean more balanced, integrated urban transportation that improves the safety of daily travel and the quality of life in our cities. Whether they include buses, subways, light rail vehicles or commuter rail, transit systems increase transport options available to residents, workers and visitors. By improving mobility and accessibility to services and jobs, they make our cities more attractive and competitive.

Making our communities more liveable

Reliable public transit systems are important for communities large and small. They are the main transportation option for many Canadians, and provide easier access to jobs, education, recreation and social activities. In fact, Canadians are using public transit in record numbers. In 2010, transit ridership increased by 4.1%, representing an all-time record with 1.9 billion trips^{Read footnote 2}. These numbers continue to grow, with a nearly 5% ridership increase for the first half of 2011^{Read footnote 3}.

Access to transit is particularly important to newcomers to Canada. As reported in a recent study by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, new Canadians are twice as likely to commute by public transit^{Read footnote 4}. Efficient public transit helps people to connect with their community and provides access to jobs and much-needed services, such as language training, medical care, and others. As immigration is expected to play a significant role in Canada's economic growth, public transit is an important piece in our nation's future.

In today's economy, public transit also plays a key role in supporting young Canadians across Canada. Indeed, Canadian Urban Transportation Association (CUTA)'s ridership data and surveys show that the 15-24 age group uses public transit more frequently than other segments of the population^{Read footnote 5}.

As increasing numbers of Canadians are relying on public transit, our cities must be able to meet that demand. This means renewing and expanding rapid bus, light rail and subway systems, and building new terminals, stations and facilities.

Increased public transit investments

The current level of federal investments in transit infrastructure is unprecedented. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has committed close to $5 billion to provinces and municipalities across the country for public transit projects that they have identified as priorities. At no other time has the Government of Canada made such substantial investments in transit systems. This has not only helped build better transit - it's also built strong partnerships among all levels of government and key stakeholders, and created momentum for increased public transit investments. These coordinated efforts have meant tangible improvements to public transit all over Canada, such as new and expanded transit systems, larger fleet sizes with more accessible vehicles and the capacity to handle increasing ridership. Furthermore, CUTA reports that over the past decade, existing federal, provincial and municipal funding programs have increasingly been able to cover the expansion and renewal needs of the country's transit systems. The result: more and more Canadians across the country can count on modern, efficient and attractive transit systems in their community.

Modern transit infrastructure is vital for the long-term economic growth and prosperity of both our largest urban centers and our smaller communities. The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and municipalities are best positioned to develop and implement transit strategies that meet their local needs. Federal investments in transit infrastructure have clearly respected jurisdictional responsibility for public transit, and provide significant flexibility for provinces, territories and municipalities to address their respective priorities.

Federal investments are being provided through several infrastructure programs, including the $8.8-billion Building Canada Fund (BCF). Under that program's Major Infrastructure Component (MIC), public transit is one of five national priorities, along with Core National Highways, Water, Wastewater and Green Energy infrastructure. Under the BCF-MIC, over $2.3 billion in federal funding has been committed towards 22 transit infrastructure projects, including significant investments in some of Canada's largest cities.

Under Canada's Economic Action Plan, the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF) has also supported transit infrastructure projects. In fact, federal investments of over $240 million have supported 70 transit projects completed between 2009 and 2011.

In addition, municipalities across the country have used over $1.6 billion of their federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF) allocations towards transit investments since 2005. In fact, a number of cities have directed either all or a very large portion of their GTF transfers to transit. Since 2005, GTF funding has supported over 400 transit infrastructure projects in communities of all sizes.

For the long term, our achievements are paving our way towards greener, more liveable and competitive communities. Our recent and ongoing efforts will keep Canada's communities moving ahead towards a more sustainable and prosperous future.

^[1] Transport Canada, 2006. "The Cost of Urban Congestion in Canada."

^[2] Information provided by the Canadian Urban Transportation Association, February 2012.

^[3]Ibid.

^[4]Federation of Canadian Municipalities, "Backgrounder - Starting on solid ground: the municipal role in immigrant settlement," 2011.

^[5]Information provided by the Canadian Urban Transportation Association, February 2012.