Funding collective mobility is a societal issue, according to CAA-Quebec, which is urging the provincial government to review public transit funding.
Based on reporting in The Gazette, the province will provide around $212 million of the $400 million requested to help manage the structural deficits of transit agencies. The Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) voted to increase the annual public transit contribution drivers pay on their vehicle registration from $59 to $150 to shore up the rest.
“For many people, owning a vehicle isn’t synonymous with wealth, but rather, it’s the only way to get around in order to meet their daily obligations or needs,” said Marie-Soleil Tremblay, President and CEO of CAA-Quebec. “This increased contribution will not fund any additional services that could allow more drivers to leave their vehicles at home if they wish.”
An online survey of 1,211 CAA-Quebec members, conducted between March 22-31, 2024, shows that 59 per cent of respondents are against the additional tax. In its update, CAA-Quebec said it is not up to vehicle owners to pay for the deficits of transport companies. They have suggested that funding sources should be diversified.
“The government needs to demonstrate creativity, and vehicle owners should not be targeted by a punitive tax increase,” said CAA-Quebec in a news release. They added that “our organization sent a letter to the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Geneviève Guilbault, to make the case in favour of more equitable public transit funding.”
The situation is pending, although the new tax has already been voted in and will be implemented.
