Transit ridership in Canada remains far below pre-pandemic levels, despite high gas prices and heavy subsidies, Statistics Canada data showed yesterday. Transit operators petitioned Parliament for even more subsidies to offset losses at the fare box, according to Blacklock's Reporter..StatsCan in a report Urban Public Transit said figures for October, the most recent data available, show transit revenues were the highest they’ve been since the outbreak of the pandemic..“That said, there were 51.9 million fewer passenger trips in October 2022 compared with the same period in 2019,” wrote analysts..Transit revenues were down 25% or $89.5 million from pre-pandemic levels even with “employment edging up and gasoline prices sharply increasing,” said the report. No reason was given..More subsidies are needed, the Canadian Urban Transit Association wrote in a 2023 Budget Submission to the Commons finance committee. Parliament from the outbreak of the pandemic approved $3.1 billion in subsidies to transit operators. Another $750 million is required next year, said the association..“The pandemic dramatically reduced ridership,” wrote operators. “Without adequate funding, public transit agencies will have no choice but to reduce service and operations.”.“It is critical we avoid a downward spiral of reduced service levels that would lead to reduced ridership, reduced revenue and have lasting negative impacts on ridership trends,” wrote the association..“Allowing a downward spiral across the country must be avoided,” it added. “Our cities will become more congested. Climate goals will become harder to reach.”.Marco D’Angelo, CEO of the Urban Transit Association, testified November 23 at the House Commons transport committee that ongoing subsidies will be needed “until the economy recovers and ridership gets back to normal.”.Operators like the Toronto Transit Commission have taken as long as 18 years to recover from past declines, he said..“Most agencies are expecting to find revenue shortfalls in the coming weeks as we enter the new year,” said D’Angelo..“Our members cannot be forced to make service cuts. That will make a full economic recovery simply out of reach.”.Cabinet from the outbreak of the pandemic budgeted $2.35 billion in special transit grants under a Safe Restart Agreement, the first direct federal subsidy of transit fares. Funding was prompted by the threatened 2020 layoff of 1,500 drivers and conductors by one of Canada’s largest transit operators, the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority..Cabinet approved another $750 million subsidy last February 17. It was a “one-time payment,” the Department of Finance said at the time.
