My Alerts STM, TTC and TransLink say the Canada Public Transit Fund is critical to housing affordability, economic growth.
Canada’s three largest public transit agencies are joining forces in Ottawa to reinforce the importance of the Canada Public Transit Fund as a critical tool for stronger, more predictable transit investment and for keeping major projects moving in the country’s biggest metropolitan regions.
The Société de transport de Montréal, the Toronto Transit Commission, and TransLink have filed a joint pre-budget submission with three clear asks: restore the Canada Public Transit Fund, move faster on shovel-ready projects, and make long-term transit funding predictable.
Together, the three transit agencies move millions of people every day in the Montreal, Toronto, and Metro Vancouver regions. Their transit systems are a powerful lever for reducing the cost of living, improving productivity, and supporting housing construction. But without adequate and predictable federal investment, major projects risk delays, rising costs, and slower progress for communities across the country.
CEOs and Board Chairs from the three agencies —will be in Ottawa on May 25 and 26 to meet with ministers and elected officials to advocate for the federal transit investment needed to build infrastructure and maintain the systems Canadians rely on.
Together, the three agencies face more than $50 billion in unfunded capital needs over the next 10 years. Their joint pre-budget submission is asking the federal government to strengthen the Canada Public Transit Fund and ensure it can meet the scale of need facing Canada’s largest transit systems.
The agencies’ pre-budget submission recommends that the federal government:
Restore $30 billion in funding over 10 years for the Canada Public Transit Fund
The Canada Public Transit Fund is an important and long-awaited program that can help build Canada up by supporting major transit expansion, housing growth, affordability, and economic productivity.
However, Budget 2025 reduced the fund by $5 billion, or 17 per cent, creating significant uncertainty for transit agencies planning major capital projects. STM, TTC, and TransLink are asking for that reduction to be reversed and for the fund to be fully restored.
Accelerate and simplify approval of CPTF funding for shovel-ready projects
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 the fund permanent, predictable, and protected from inflation
The agencies are also calling for the fund to be indexed to inflation and construction costs, and for the federal government to maintain the $3 billion annual commitment beyond 2036.
Long-term certainty is essential for agencies planning major infrastructure, fleet, and state-of-good-repair investments.
When Canada’s three largest transit agencies are all raising the same priority, the message is clear: the Canada Public Transit Fund is a critical national program that needs to be restored, strengthened, and made predictable for the long term.
Doing so would help keep major projects moving, support housing growth, improve affordability, and strengthen economic productivity across the country.
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For information:
STM: medias@stm.info
TTC: media@ttc.ca
TransLink: media@translink.ca