Policy and funding support transit agencies require to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic and to position public transit at the centre of economic recovery. Quick wins from this report include the first ever operating funding support from the Federal Government and the investment of $1.5 Billion from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to support transit agencies in their conversion to zero-emission buses.

Canadian Urban Transit Association

Leading Mobility authored the Canadian Urban Transit Association’s (CUTA) COVID-19, Public Transit, and a Green, Inclusive Recovery Strategy. CUTA’s recovery strategy was developed to inform discussions with the Federal Government on the funding and policy support transit agencies need for economic recovery, both in the next Federal budget and beyond. 

Under the guidance and direction of an executive task force composed of CEOs/Directors of 16 of Canada’s largest transit agencies, David developed this comprehensive recovery strategy focused on the following five objectives:

1. Operating public transit safely: restoring confidence in the public to return to public transit

2. Decongesting cities and creating jobs: continued investment in transit capital projects through the Investing in Canada Plan

3. Public transit fosters social inclusion: Investments in service and projects that improves public transit for women, seniors and members of the BIPOC community

4. Acting on climate change through public transit: advancing the Federal Government’s goal help transit agencies to procure 5,000 zero emission buses

5. Making transit more efficient through innovation

The Recovery Strategy was submitted to the Deputy Minister at Infrastructure Canada and the Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna in September 2020.  The Strategy has been utilized extensively as the foundational policy document in funding discussions with the Federal Government and key partners such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Since the submission of the strategy, the Federal Government has adopted all the funding recommendations outlined in this Recovery Strategy, including providing $2.3 Billion in emergency operations funding (a first!) for maintaining service, $1.5 Billion in new funding for the mass adoption of zero emission buses, and a new $3 Billion yearly permanent transit fund for building new capital projects.