Baseline Funding stream

On this page

• Overview
• Fund details
• How to apply
• Applicant guide
• Additional resources
• Contact us

Overview

The Baseline Funding stream of the Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) provides predictable, long-term support to communities across the country with existing transit systems. This funding focuses on enhancing routine capital and non-capital investment, ensuring the continual growth, rehabilitation, and replacement of public transit and active transportation infrastructure as well as increasing capacity for planning. Stable funding supports quality and access to world class transit, sound planning, long-term data collection which supports better decision making.

The fund aims to improve public transit accessibility and reliability, encouraging cleaner transportation options. This not only facilitates easier access to essential services and economic opportunities for Canadians, but also contributes to environmental sustainability and social well-being.

Fund details

The Baseline Funding stream is an approximately $500 million annual envelope that is part of the CPTF. Through the CPTF, the federal government will invest an averaging of $3 billion per year for public transit and active transportation infrastructure, beginning in 2026-27.

What type of projects will be funded under the Baseline Funding stream?

The Baseline Funding stream focuses on funding capital and non-capital investments (i.e. planning projects) for public transit or active transportation infrastructure. Capital Plan applications will outline a community's planned use of the Baseline funding allocation over several years. These may include:

1. Public transit infrastructure: Both capital and non-capital investments, such as planning to expand, rehabilitate or replace sections of an existing public transit system. For example, expanding bus fleets, retrofitting subway stations or constructing new tram lines.
2. Active transportation infrastructure: Investments to expand, rehabilitate or replace active transportation infrastructure, such as bike or walking paths and pedestrian bridges.

Who can apply?

It is expected that applications for baseline funding will be submitted by transit agencies and transit asset owners.

As the primary objective of the Baseline Funding stream is to support communities with existing public transit systems, minimum eligibility criteria have been established. Recipients must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to apply:

• The applicant has a minimum of 3 (preferably 5) years of historical ridership, population served, and capital investment data;
• The applicant's public transit system includes fixed route service;
• The applicant must have a minimum average capital investment of $100,000 annually; and
• The applicant's transit system must have a minimum annual ridership of 30,000.

In addition to meeting the minimum eligibility criteria noted above, applicants must be an eligible recipient, which includes:

• A municipal or regional government;
• a public sector body that is established by or under provincial or territorial statute or by regulation or is wholly owned by a province, territory, municipal or regional government (such as a transit agency);
• a federally or provincially incorporated not-for-profit organization or charity;
• a provincial or territorial government;
• an Indigenous recipient, Indigenous development corporation or Indigenous benefiting organization;
• a private sector, or for-profit body, if they are working in collaboration with an eligible public sector entity or with an eligible Indigenous recipient.

Note that applicants that do not meet the above criteria or do not provide supporting evidence will be deemed ineligible.

For communities interested in developing the foundations for an entirely new public transit system, there may be potential funding opportunities through the CPTF Targeted Funding stream.

What are the funding allocations and contribution limits under the Baseline Funding stream?

Final funding allocations will be calculated once all capital plan applications have been reviewed. It is expected that notional allocations will be provided to applicants who are invited to submit a capital plan application following review of the Expression of Interest submissions.

Funding contribution limits are outlined below:

Federal Costs Share

Baseline Component	Maximum Federal Program Contributions
Capital Projects	Up to 40% of eligible costs for projects located within provinces Up to 75% of eligible costs for projects located within territories
Non-capital projects	Up to 80% of eligible costs

Maximum Federal Contributions

• Maximum Federal Contributions from all sources are equal to Maximum Program Contributions.
• Notwithstanding the above, under all components, for projects receiving funding through the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) or the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the CCBF and CMHC portions of funding may bring the maximum federal contribution up to 100%. For projects with Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) involvement, the CIB portion of funding may also bring the maximum federal contribution up to 100%.

Requirements and commitments

Eligible applicants who are invited to submit Capital Plan Applications will be required to meet certain conditions. These include, but are not limited to the following:

• For communities with a population over 30,000, recipients will be expected to commit to completing a Housing Needs Assessment (for) and a minimum set of housing expectations. Note that this may require collaborating with other responsible and accountable organizations.
• Recipients will be expected to commit to supporting Canada's plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and to ensure that future potential climate impacts are considered.
• Recipients will be required to report on progress and outcomes as specified in any funding agreements.
• Recipients will also have to ensure that all projects comply with applicable codes and standards, environmental assessment and other applicable federal laws and regulations, Indigenous consultation and accommodation obligations, accessibility standards and other specific conditions that will be outlined at the Capital Plan Application stage.

How to apply

Stage I

If you are an eligible applicant, you are invited to access the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada Funding Portal and complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) application. A step-by-step guide to aid in completing the Expression of Interest can be found in Annex A of the Baseline Funding Guide.

After submission of the EOI, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada will assess your application and will then invite all eligible applicants to Stage II, which entails submitting a full capital plan application.

The deadline for submitting an EOI application was September 30, at 3:00 p.m. EDT. Future intake windows may be opened on a periodic basis to allow newly interested or newly eligible communities to express their interest in baseline transit funding.

Stage II

Applicants deemed eligible following assessment of the EOI applications will be contacted by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, informed of their notional allocations under the Baseline Funding stream, and invited to submit a full Capital Plan Application. More detail on this stage will be made available in the coming months.

Applicant guide

• Canada Public Transit Fund: Baseline Funding Guide (PDF Version) (4.88 MB)
• Canada Public Transit Fund: Baseline Funding Guide (HTML Version)

Additional resources

• Expression of Interest (EOI) Guide
• Frequently asked questions
• Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada Funding Portal

Contact us

For any inquiries you may have about Baseline funding or the application process, please contact baselinefunding-financementdebase@infc.gc.ca.