challenge is ensur-

ing that our municipali-

ties have the money they

need to keep public transit in

good repair, and to build new

transit infrastructure to accommo-

date growing populations and the

demands of the future.

As Liberal Party of Canada Leader Justin Trudeau

told the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in June,

2015:

Municipalities deliver more than 60 percent of all services to citizens – but only collect between 8 and 12 cents out of every tax dollar. On infrastructure, even though the federal government has about half of the fiscal capacity of all orders of government, it only makes 12 per cent of all infrastructure invest-ments.

To address this fact, a Liberal

government will quadruple federal investment in public

transit over the next decade by investing almost $20

billion more. Our funding will be flexible to municipali-

ties’ priorities and requirements, in order to maximize

the number of public transit projects that are built in

Canada. Federal funding will no longer be a roadblock to

MOVING COMMUNITIES FORWARD,INVESTING IN PUBLIC TRANSITPublic transit is a critical engine of the Canadian econo-

my. Over the last several decades, Canadian cities have

been growing at a rapid rate, and roughly seven out of ten

people now live in one of Canada’s 33 census metropoli-

tan areas. Half of Canada’s GDP is generated in the six

largest metropolitan areas alone, and the populations of

our cities will only continue to grow in the coming

decades.

While the urbanization of Canada has created many

challenges, traffic congestion and gridlock is one of the

most visible, resulting in long commute times and air

pollution, while costing our econ-

omy billions of dollars annually.

The C.D. Howe Institute has

estimated that traffic congestion

costs Metro Vancouver between

$500 million and $1.2 billion per

year. In the Greater Toronto and

Hamilton Area, it estimates the

costs could be as high as $11

billion per year. This loss of

economic activity translates

directly into lower wages for

Canadian workers and lower standards of living for fami-

lies. This is happening right across the country.

The Liberal Party understands that in order to grow the

economy and middle class incomes, we will need to

address this challenge together. The key to meeting this

A LIBERAL GOVERNMENT WILL QUADRUPLE

FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC TRANSIT OVER THE NEXT DECADE BY

INVESTING ALMOST $20 BILLION MORE.

action. This funding commitment is on top of all existing

public transit commitments already made by the federal

government.

In order to achieve this, a Liberal government will devel-

op bilateral agreements with the provinces and territo-

ries, similar to those created for the successful gas tax

transfer to cities and communities. For our communities

to succeed, funding for infrastructure needs to be

substantive, predictable, and sustained. We will not only

significantly increase the scale of federal transit invest-

ment; our plan will provide provinces, territories, and

municipalities with an unprecedented level of long-term

predictability in funding as well. This will be done in full

respect of provincial jurisdiction.

This historic, new influx of federal money into public

transportation projects – along with the money commit-

ted directly to public transit in Budget 2015 – will allow

the existing New Building Canada Fund to focus more on

other parts of Canada’s vital transportation system, such

as roads and bridges.

challenge is ensur-

ing that our municipali-

ties have the money they

need to keep public transit in

good repair, and to build new

transit infrastructure to accommo-

date growing populations and the

demands of the future.

As Liberal Party of Canada Leader Justin Trudeau

told the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in June,

2015:

Municipalities deliver more than 60 percent of all services to citizens – but only collect between 8 and 12 cents out of every tax dollar. On infrastructure, even though the federal government has about half of the fiscal capacity of all orders of government, it only makes 12 per cent of all infrastructure invest-ments.

To address this fact, a Liberal

government will quadruple federal investment in public

transit over the next decade by investing almost $20

billion more. Our funding will be flexible to municipali-

ties’ priorities and requirements, in order to maximize

the number of public transit projects that are built in

Canada. Federal funding will no longer be a roadblock to

Public transit is a critical engine of the Canadian econo-

my. Over the last several decades, Canadian cities have

been growing at a rapid rate, and roughly seven out of ten

people now live in one of Canada’s 33 census metropoli-

tan areas. Half of Canada’s GDP is generated in the six

largest metropolitan areas alone, and the populations of

our cities will only continue to grow in the coming

decades.

While the urbanization of Canada has created many

challenges, traffic congestion and gridlock is one of the

most visible, resulting in long commute times and air

pollution, while costing our econ-

omy billions of dollars annually.

The C.D. Howe Institute has

estimated that traffic congestion

costs Metro Vancouver between

$500 million and $1.2 billion per

year. In the Greater Toronto and

Hamilton Area, it estimates the

costs could be as high as $11

billion per year. This loss of

economic activity translates

directly into lower wages for

Canadian workers and lower standards of living for fami-

lies. This is happening right across the country.

The Liberal Party understands that in order to grow the

economy and middle class incomes, we will need to

address this challenge together. The key to meeting this

MOVING COMMUNITIES FORWARD, INVESTING IN PUBLIC TRANSIT

action. This funding commitment is on top of all existing

public transit commitments already made by the federal

government.

In order to achieve this, a Liberal government will devel-

op bilateral agreements with the provinces and territo-

ries, similar to those created for the successful gas tax

transfer to cities and communities. For our communities

to succeed, funding for infrastructure needs to be

substantive, predictable, and sustained. We will not only

significantly increase the scale of federal transit invest-

ment; our plan will provide provinces, territories, and

municipalities with an unprecedented level of long-term

predictability in funding as well. This will be done in full

respect of provincial jurisdiction.

This historic, new influx of federal money into public

transportation projects – along with the money commit-

ted directly to public transit in Budget 2015 – will allow

the existing New Building Canada Fund to focus more on

other parts of Canada’s vital transportation system, such

as roads and bridges.

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Photo, page 1 - Bus on Johnson Street Bridge, Victoria, BC, Credit: Flickr user ogier300 via CC BY 2.0. Photo, page 2 - Subway emerging from tunnel, Toronto, ON, Credit: Flickr user garyjwood via CC BY-SA 2.0.