Environmental groups receive the results to a policy survey on public transit commitments sent to federal parties
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – Public transit and environmental groups across Canada have released the results of a policy survey on transit commitments from federal parties. Candidates from the Liberal, New Democrat, Bloc Québécois, and Green Parties provided responses or shared commitments in their party platform. No representative from the Conservative Party provided transit commitments by response or through their platform by the deadline of April 18, 2025.
Environmental Defence, TTCriders, Transport Action Canada, Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders, CUSP-Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet, Regina Citizens Public Transit Coalition, Activate Transit Windsor Essex, Edmonton Transit Riders and Tri-Cities Transport Action circulated a survey to all federal parties to learn about their commitments to invest in public transit for a strong economy.
With no responses from central party campaigns, we reviewed party platforms and candidate replies. The table below shows whether a commitment came from a platform or an individual candidate.
Full party platforms are available for the Liberal, Conservative, Bloc Québécois, New Democrat, and Green parties.
Quotes:
Tim Gray, Executive Director, Environmental Defence:
“There is one government investment that makes life cheaper, less polluting and more enjoyable for most people. That investment is new bus and train lines accompanied by the money for staff to operate them”
Terence Johnson, President, Transport Action Canada:
“Operating funding, lifecycle replacement funding, and new capital investments must go hand in hand to ensure that municipalities and transit agencies can deliver the most reliable, comprehensive, and accessible service possible with the dollars invested.”
Denis Agar, Executive Director, Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders:
“Every dollar spent on transit saves Canadians money, and creates good jobs in Canada. In the face of economic uncertainty coming from south of the border, there’s no downside to building an excellent public transit network that we can be proud of.”
Andrew Pulsifer, Executive Director, TTCriders:
“Federal investment in new subway trains for Toronto’s Line 2 will generate good manufacturing jobs in Canada and strengthen our economy at the same time as it will make transit more reliable for hundreds of thousands of Toronto residents.”
Eric Doherty, Spokesperson, Climate Justice Victoria:
“Public transit investments are good economic policy, while also ensuring everyone can fully participate in society regardless of their needs and abilities.”
Brad Evoy, Executive Director, Disability Justice Network of Ontario:
“Meaningful transit investment at the federal level means real opportunity for universal, common standards of accessibility for all. Disabled riders need to be free to get where we need to be all across the country.”
Terri Sleeva, Community Organizer:
“A transit system is a necessary lifeline in modern society. People and the environment both benefit when this method is chosen.”
Paul Berger, Lead Organizer, CUSP – Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet:
“There will be no success on climate without robust public transit. Period. This is climate change mitigation 101.”
Michael Druker, Tri-Cities Transport Action Group Co-Lead:
“Operational funding is crucial to enable local transit agencies like Grand River Transit to build a frequent service network and make other service improvements that would allow more people to choose transit over driving.”
Background information:
There is growing consensus that the federal government should invest in transit operating costs.
- 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 current model is one where the federal government provides money for cities to buy new buses and trains, but does not invest in running service.
- 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.
- 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.
- Nearly 100 organizations across Canada signed a letter in advance of the 2024 federal budget, encouraging investment in transit operations funding. This funding would support inter-community bus services connecting rural communities that have been chronically underserved by public transit.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
ABOUT TTCRIDERS (ttcriders.ca): TTCriders is a membership-based transit advocacy organization that works for better, more affordable, and more accessible public transit in Toronto.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Karishma Porwal, Environmental Defence, [email protected]
Andrew Pulsifer, TTCRiders, [email protected]
