Canada’s vast expanses of wilderness and long distances between cities, towns, and rural communities create challenges for public transport systems. Statistics Canada reported 16.5 million commuters in May 2024, 4 out of 5 using a car, truck, or van. Made in Canada, a grassroots agency notes that during early COVID-19 in February 2020, Canada had 161.2 million rides on public transport. In March 2020, numbers were almost half at 88.5 million and at their lowest in April 2020 with 25.7 million rides. Statistics Canada reports 131.7 million passenger trips in December 2024, 85.9% of its pre-pandemic ridership from December 2019. Recovery is steady but slow.

In 2024, Statistics Canada disclosed roughly 1.6 billion yearly passenger trips, representing 84.2% of 2019’s 1.9 billion totals. The Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) indicates the gap highlights the challenges of getting passengers to return to public transit, particularly in urban centers with well-established hybrid and remote work models. CUTA reports 2023 public transit revenues of $5,854,099,164 and operating expenses of $14.2 billion, subsidized by targeted funders to address administration, fuel, operations, and vehicle maintenance. The average lifespan of a bus rose to 9.5 years in 2023. Fuel consumption in 2023 was: 442,652,378 litres (diesel), 33,909,704 litres (natural gas), 75,289,011 litres (biodiesel), and 858,313,564 kwh of electricity.  While diesel accounts for the majority (62%) of bus fleets, this share has been decreasing in favour of natural gas, hybrid and electric buses. In 2023, Canada used 16,145 buses, 716 commuter rail cars, 89 ferries and 52 streetcars.

In 2022, Canada’s transportation sector represented 22% of Canada’s carbon emissions. An Environmental Defence and Équiterre 2024 report discusses that while we have clear targets that all vehicle sales must be zero-emission by 2035, there aren’t targets to increase public transit ridership and change travel demand patterns. Canada is nearly 40% below the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s average for public transit utilization (ridership per capita) in urban areas. The 2024 report emphasizes key policies needed, including more municipal housing density near transit lines, public transit systems adapting to post-pandemic travel patterns, increased service outside peak periods to better serve equity-seeking groups, dedicated public transit operating funds (passenger fares have created chronic instability to changes in market forces and political cycles), more zero-emission electric buses and dedicated bus lanes, and clear modal shift and vehicle km reduction targets. These steps will double the public transit ridership by 2035 and reduce transport-related carbon emissions by 65 million tonnes by 2035.

Transit ridership was 46 trips per capita in 2023. Prior to 2019, ridership was growing steadily at approximately 2% yearly until COVID-19. CUTA notes that ridership growth across Canada varies significantly by region. While many transit systems are gradually reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels, systems serving smaller communities collectively are surpassing pre-pandemic ridership by 3%.

Significant trends of rising living and housing costs, coupled with increased flexibility of telecommuting, have driven people from major metropolitan areas like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver to smaller cities. CUTA anticipates that by focusing on modernizing fleets, enhancing customer experiences, and tailoring services to meet shifting demands, the industry can redefine urban mobility to align with the needs of a changing population. In July of 2024, Canada’s Public Transit Fund ($30 billion) announced that it would over 10 years expand access to public transit with metro-region agreements for larger cities, provide baseline funding for all existing transit systems, and target funds for rural and remote transit.

Regarding rail, the Canadian Transportation Network reports that three Canadian cities have commuter train services: Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Since 2005, intercity passenger railways’ greenhouse gas emissions intensity has been reduced by 28.1%. Transport Canada notes that the passenger rail sector provides commuter, intercity, and tourist transportation services. National rail services are largely provided by VIA Rail, an independent Crown corporation (1977), mostly along the Quebec-Windsor Corridor.

Statistics Canada shows by May 2023, 80% of the workforce was again commuting to a location outside their home for work. Commuting patterns evolve for various reasons, including changing business practices, urbanization, commuting and transit infrastructure availability, and personal and financial considerations. Public transit continues to increase slowly. According to KPMG, a 5.2% growth in Canadian vehicle sales from 2022 to 2023, combined with data showing almost 70% of Canadians are considering vehicle purchases, suggests that roads will continue to be busier than ever in the non-distant future.

Submitted by Diane Szoller, Climate Scorecard Canada Country Manager