Canada Public Transit Fund

On this page

• About the Canada Public Transit Fund
• Building complete and transit-oriented communities
• Program details
• Investments to date
• Frequently asked questions
• Additional resources

About the Canada Public Transit Fund

Canadians rely on public transit to go to school, to get to work, to see their friends, and to explore their communities. From buses and subways to bicycle lanes and walking trails, public transit and active transportation infrastructure help Canadians get to where they need to go and stay connected.

The Canada Public Transit Fund is a historic investment that supports transit in communities of all sizes across Canada. The Fund provides approximately $25 billion over 10 years for public transit and active transportation infrastructure. The Fund offers both stable and predictable funding to address long-term transit goals, as well as responsive funding to target evolving transit needs, and aims to:

• Increase the use of public transit and active transportation relative to car travel
• Improve public transit and active transportation options for all, especially Indigenous Peoples and equity-deserving groups
• Increase the housing supply and affordability as part of complete, transit-oriented communities
• Help mitigate climate change and improve climate resilience.

Public transit funding also complements Canada's strengthened climate plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. The plan commits the federal government to provide permanent federal funding for public transit in support of making clean and affordable transportation available in communities across Canada.

Building complete and transit-oriented communities

More homes need to be built closer to the services that Canadians depend on, like public transit. The Canada Public Transit Fund will help advance complete, transit-oriented communities by strategically encouraging housing supply and more efficient land use near transit.

More details are available as part of the program guide for each stream.

Program details

The Canada Public Transit Fund is designed to meet the unique needs of communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas, to mid-size and smaller communities, including rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities. The CPTF delivers stable funding for public transit providing municipalities, transit authorities and other groups with the resources they need to plan and implement key public transit projects over the long-term. Funding is delivered through three streams:

Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada continues to support projects that were approved under the Active Transportation Fund, Rural Transit Solutions Fund and Zero Emission Transit Fund.

Investments to date

Building on the Government's $32 billion investment in more than 2,500 public transit and active transportation projects across Canada, the permanent Canada Public Transit Fund is building core city infrastructure across the country.

In 2021, the Government of Canada announced significant public transit funding that includes billions in support for zero emission buses, rural transit services, active transportation, and support to accelerate the expansion of large urban transit systems that many Canadians depend on every day.

Our continued investments in Canada's public transit systems provides an essential service to many Canadians, generates billions in economic benefits, and helps Canada meet its climate targets.

See other public transit investments on our Housing and Infrastructure Project Map.

Frequently asked questions

• How does the Canada Public Transit Fund help support an increase in housing supply?

  Public transit plays a key role in creating sustainable, inclusive and prosperous communities across Canada. The creation of dense, transit-oriented, complete communities can improve housing supply, affordability and address population growth pressures. The Fund catalyzes housing outcomes such as increased supply and complement other existing federal housing initiatives, such as the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).

• How is the Canada Public Transit Fund going to make transit support more stable and predictable for communities in need?

  The foundation for successful public transit systems is reliable funding. The Canada Public Transit Fund provides stable and predictable funding to build new transit infrastructure, maintain existing transit systems, and support life-cycle costs.

• Can a potential applicant seek funding through multiple streams (Baseline Funding Stream, Targeted Funding Stream and Strong Transit Fund)?

  Stacking from multiple streams of the CPTF for a single project is not allowed.

  Funding under the Strong Transit Fund is dedicated to priority projects identified in provinces and territories.

  If you have additional questions, please contact the stream you are applying to for further guidance.

• How does the Canada Public Transit Fund impact transit funding for rural and Indigenous communities?

  Addressing the transit needs of rural and Indigenous communities continues to be a priority for the government. Under Canada Public Transit Fund, targeted funding enables rural and Indigenous communities to seek funding in support of active and transit projects.

Additional resources

For additional background information regarding Government of Canada investments in public transit infrastructure, please consult:

• Active Transportation Online Hub
• Canada's National Active Transportation Strategy
• Investing in Canada plan funding stream: Public transit infrastructure
• Canada Infrastructure Bank