Ottawa to provide $1.5 billion for Metro Vancouver’s transit service over a decade

VANCOUVER — The federal government has committed more than $1.5 billion over 10 years for Metro Vancouver’s beleaguered transit network.

A statement from the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities says the funding deal for TransLink is the first metro-region agreement under the new Canada Public Transit Fund.

The funding from 2026 to 2036 is in addition to $663 million announced by Ottawa in January for TransLink infrastructure over the same period.

TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn says in the statement that the service looks forward to continuing its partnership with Ottawa through the new deal, and it continues to work with all levels of government to expand transit to meet the region’s needs.

However, Quinn has previously said TransLink was facing an annual operational shortfall of $600 million starting next year.

He said last July that without funding to address the gap, transit services would face “significant cuts.”

Last March, the B.C. government gave TransLink an injection of $479 million in provincial funding to maintain services and fares.

The Canada Public Transit Fund, announced by the federal government last year, is set to start doling out $3 billion a year beginning in 2026.

The federal government also announced Friday a contribution of $189 million over 10 years for BC Transit, a provincial Crown corporation serving communities outside Metro Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2025.

The Canadian Press