Ongoing
In Quebec, the transportation sector is the second highest-polluting, and is responsible for 43% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Canada, pollution caused by the transportation sector is so high that it currently exceeds that of over 140 nations worldwide, based on their entire economies! Despite this, the number of vehicles on our roads continues to increase, and vehicles are getting larger all the time, enabling these trends to continue, when they need to be reversed.
The inadequacy of public transit services is obviously part of the problem, whereas frequent, reliable, sustainable, expanded and affordable services would significantly mitigate the effects of vehicle excess. In order for this to happen, public transit needs better funding.
Collectively, it costs nearly five times more each time a person uses their own car than when they use public transit. Public transit is an investment, not an expense!
*Each time an individual spends $1 to use their personal car, society spends $5.77, versus $1.31 for a public transit user.
Under normal operating conditions, the average Canadian public transit vehicle carries more than 40 people, while 85% of all vehicle trips are made by a single person.
65 million This is the number of tonnes of GHGs that could be avoided by 2035 if Canada provided adequate funding for public transit
“ If we're serious in any way about sustainable mobility in Quebec, we're going to have to set a goal for ourselves for the development of mass transit and give ourselves the means to achieve it. ”
There can be no green transition without more public transit, it's as simple as that. Public transit is an investment and a public service. Not only does it enable efficient, low-carbon transportation, it also provides access to jobs, housing and essential services. Investing in public transit is a win-win situation!
Exploring ways to make it possible for everyone to get around without relying on single-occupant cars. Adequate public transit is essential to the well-being of our communities. It's a service that all Canadians should be able to count on. We're working to advance the idea of reliable, frequent, expanded and affordable service. To make this a reality, we are advocating in favour of adequate funding for public transit.
Let's ramp up public transit all across the country!
Let's call for more fundingOur report on the funding of public transit highlights opportunities for the federal government to improve service. The public rallied behind our demands and shared them with the government
The report entitled Putting Wheels on the Bus to Help Public Transit, produced in collaboration with Environmental Defence, for the first time shows what impact sufficient federal funding would have on boosting public transit across the country.
"The analysis is clear: the 3rd Link does not pass the test as a driving element of the ecological transition. It should not go ahead if we wish to act as good managers and with coherence in the fight against the climate crisis". - Marc-André Viau, Director Government Relations, Équiterre
12 rounds of promotional campaigns on the ‘Transportation Cocktail’, designed to educate the public, especially young adults, on the alternatives to single-occupancy travel by car.
A large part of the funding for public transit comes from the municipalities and, of course, the users of the services. Infrastructure is partly financed by the federal and provincial governments, while operations are currently the responsibility of the provinces.
Communications Officer, Public Relations
Director, Government Relations
