Patricia Lattanzio

The largest public transit investment in Canadian history

July 19, 2024

Investing in public transport allows us to create good jobs, lower emissions and give every generation a fair chance to get ahead.

That’s why our government was proud to announce the largest public transit investment in Canadian history – the launch of the Canada Public Transit Fund, a new $30 billion investment over the next ten years, which will allow our communities to expand their public transit, making them more accessible, affordable and environmentally friendly. This permanent program will help cities offer better services to Canadians, across three main streams of funding:

Metro-Region Agreementswill fund partnerships between provinces and large urban areas with some of the country’s largest public transit systems, such as Montreal, to build the public transit infrastructure that we need. Funding amounts will be distributed based on the most ambitious partnerships, including those who can best show how planned networks will also benefit communities’ housing supply.
Baseline Fundingwill deliver predictable funding to communities across the country with existing transit systems, based on their population their needs. This will help communities of all sizes upgrade, replace, or modernize their transit infrastructure.
Targeted Fundingwill be used to support key priorities such as active transportation, rural and remote transit, transit investments in Indigenous communities, and the electrification of public transit and school transportation. This funding will be delivered on a project-by-project basis, so that our government can respond to the evolving needs of communities.

In addition to this funding, we are also making sure that transit development goes hand-in-hand with increasing our housing supply – so that our communities can benefit from the networks being built. To access funding, municipalities will need to demonstrate that they are taking actions to increase their housing supply, including by:

Eliminating all mandatory minimum parking requirements within 800 metres of a high-frequency transit line.
Allow high-density housing within 800 metres of a high-frequency transit line.
Allow high-density housing within 800 metres of post-secondary institutions.
Complete a housing needs assessment for all communities with a population greater than 30,000.

By investing in public transit, we’re ensuring that our communities stay connected and have what they need to grow, evolve, and succeed. This is part of our plan to deliver fairness for every generation.