Fredericton mayor part of growing call for provincial funding for transit costs
Green Party pledges to cover 15 per cent of municipalities' transit operating budgets if elected
As the City of Fredericton considers significant improvements to its public transit system in the near future, the mayor is looking at the next provincial government as an important partner in funding those upgrades.
Long relegated as the sole responsibility of New Brunswick's municipalities, Kate Rogers said it's time for the province to help cities fund public transit if it's really serious about addressing climate change and the rising cost of living.
"There's an affordability crisis that we're seeing across the nation and New Brunswickers are feeling it.
"And we know that when people look at their own personal budgets, housing is a significant expenditure, as is transportation. And delivering a robust transit system ... is to me, a very effective way to help with affordability," she said.
A 2017 report, by the province's Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation, cited a need for the provincial government to step up and help fund public transit in order to improve workforce participation and reduce New Brunswickers' costly dependance on automobiles.
But seven years later, there's been little mention of public transit so far among leaders of New Brunswick's three main political parties, who are now in the second full week of a provincial election campaign.
The rising cost of living, health care and the housing shortage are issues that have taken centre stage ahead of the election, scheduled for Oct. 21.
Green Party pledges help for transit
CBC News asked the three party leaders about their stance on providing funding to municipalities to help with transit costs.
Green Party Leader David Coon said a government under his leadership would help fund a portion of every municipal transit agency's annual operating budget.
"[Transit] is a public service. People need it to get to work, to get to school, to visit family, and so it's appropriate for both levels of government to be sharing in its support," Coon said, in an interview.
In a follow-up email, campaign spokesperson Jill Mersereau said the Green Party's platform will pledge to cover 15 per cent of the transit operating budget.
Liberal Leader Susan Holt was unavailable for an interview. In an email statement, she said her party's pledge for fiscal reform would help municipalities better deliver services and that under her leadership, the province would take advantage of federal funding for transit improvements.
Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs was unavailable for an interview, said spokesperson Bob Fowlie, in an email.
During his time as premier, Higgs garnered criticism in 2020 for not taking advantage of a federal program aimed at injecting millions of dollars into municipal transit agencies struggling to cover costs as COVID-19 measures sent ridership numbers plummeting.
In the end, his government provided transit systems in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John with $1.6 million from a broader COVID relief fund from Ottawa — something other provinces didn't have to do.
Raising fares not straightforward solution, says advocate
Fredericton isn't the only municipality hoping for help.
Transit systems in the cities of Saint John, Moncton and Miramichi are also on board with seeing provincial funding for operating costs, said Marco D'Angelo, president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association, which advocates nationally on behalf of municipal transit agencies.
"Today we've arrived at a time where buses are full, where folks aren't being able to be accommodated on every bus," said D'Angelo, noting that ridership levels are at all-time highs.
"And so this is the challenge that the cities across New Brunswick are facing, and it goes to the need for the province of New Brunswick to address and support the expansion of transit service."
As it stands, the revenue generated through fares only covers about 35 per cent of the operating costs, on average, with the rest paid for by property tax revenue, D'Angelo said.
That leaves municipalities in a tough spot, where in order to improve service, they either need to cut other services, raise property taxes, or increase fares.
D'Angelo noted that New Brunswickers are already dealing with rising property tax bills, which would make raising tax rates unpopular.
At the same time, he said raising fares could price-out some users, lowering overall ridership and creating a "vicious cycle" where reduced revenue begets reduced service.
"And simply it's really important, I think, in the middle of the affordability crisis, that there is an affordable way to get around your city and that is through municipal transit," he said.
D'Angelo said New Brunswick has other provinces it could look to for ideas on how to help, including Ontario, which collects two cents for every litre of gasoline sold for public transit funding.
That tax resulted in $380 million being transferred to 102 municipalities for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
"So it's a phenomena where a little would go a long way," D'Angelo said.
"This is a really interesting opportunity for the next government of New Brunswick, whatever party forms that government, that there's a cost-effective way to implement real change in the cities across New Brunswick that are struggling to keep up with the demand."
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