Metro Vancouver mayors call for federal transit funding extension

Metro Vancouver’s mayors are joining calls from their counterparts across the country for the federal government to extend emergency relief funding for public transit.

They say because the sector continues to face heavy losses due to the pandemic, financial supports from senior levels of government are needed to help build back transit ridership to a post-pandemic “new normal.”

Expanding our #PublicTransit system is critical to economic growth and tackling the climate emergency.

But pandemic funding shortfalls put that work at risk.

We need our Provincial & Federal partners to come to the table and help us bridge the funding gap. https://t.co/xGaziEc0Oc

— Kennedy Stewart (@kennedystewart) January 26, 2022

The Mayors’ Council, which is the collective voice of Metro Vancouver mayors on transit and transportation, has penned a letter to Ottawa ahead of the 2022-2023 budget being finalized.

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The letter is addressed to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Dominic LeBlanc. It states the Mayors’ Council is joining the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in asking the federal government “to cover operating losses for the remainder of the pandemic.”

“In Metro Vancouver, these net revenue losses total $200 million in 2022-23, with additional losses experienced by BC Transit communities in the rest of the province,” the letter reads.

“Funding from senior governments to sustain our transit system through this public health crisis is critical to keeping life affordable for our region’s residents. Among all public services considered essential, only public transit is funded directly by users and local taxpayers from regressive sources like transit fares, and property, fuel and parking taxes,” it adds.

This morning we added our voice to FCM's call on the federal government for additional support for transit service here in Metro Vancouver and across BC. #vanpoli #bcpoli https://t.co/M7O1lq3pGi https://t.co/j3BPcXy5vL

— Mayors' Council (@mayors_council) January 26, 2022

Without the funding support, the council says future projects could be affected.

Across the country, other municipalities say they are experiencing similarly low ridership and transit shortfalls, and are concerned about the risk of major service reductions without the financial backing.

The Big City Mayors’ Caucus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities released a statement Wednesday saying the pandemic has wrought havoc on cities’ transit revenues, with many riders avoiding tight, crowded spaces and instead working from home.

The federal government has given extra funds to provinces throughout the pandemic, and provinces have passed some of that cash on to cities to keep their transit systems running.

This time, though, the mayors say the need is more urgent, as massive transit shortfalls are projected for the third year in a row.

Minister LeBlanc did not immediately respond to a request for comment.