The Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation is calling on provincial and federal governments to commit new funding for public transit expansion to keep up with population growth. We need the Government of Canada to accelerate the launch of the Permanent Transit Fund (PTF) by two years, to 2024, in response to exploding population growth and increasing financial pressures for transit systems in Metro Vancouver and other big cities like Toronto and Montreal.
Help us advocate for better transit. Sign the petition today.
The Future of Transit Funding
It is critical that provincial and federal governments collaborate with local governments and transit agencies to invest in expanding public transit.
Time is running out. Metro Vancouver’s population is growing at a record pace while our transit system is already struggling to meet demand. Transit systems in all of Canada’s biggest cities represent critical national infrastructure, an essential service that keeps our cities moving, working, and thriving. Some of our nation’s most pressing current challenges – climate change, housing affordability, immigrant settlement, innovation – require vibrant, successful public transit systems.
In Metro Vancouver, TransLink’s Access for Everyone plan requires a total investment of $21 billion dollars over the next decade. The region’s residents can’t afford to take on the cost of updating our transportation network alone.
We need the provincial and federal governments to act now and commit to new funding for transit. The Access for Everyone plan will need funding commitments no later than April 2024 to stay on track to begin expanding transit service in late 2024 in line with population growth and to support new housing targets.
Renewing Our Partnership
We have seen the transformative power of our three levels of government working together to fund public transit. This partnership has enabled TransLink to expand services through projects like the Canada Line, Evergreen Line and the new Broadway Skytrain extension currently under construction. It’s time for governments to take the next step in securing the future of Metro Vancouver's transportation network so we can keep our region moving.