Quebec municipalities demand $20 B for transit upkeep

A coalition of Quebec municipalities is calling on the next provincial government to commit billions in new funding for public transit, warning that existing infrastructure is deteriorating and agencies face severe financial pressures. The appeal highlights a projected $20 billion need by 2035 simply to maintain current assets and a separate $550 million shortfall for operations in the coming years.

The call was issued by the Union des municipalités du Québec, representing cities across the province. Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, who chairs the union's large cities caucus and is mayor of Gatineau, framed the demand as an investment in quality of life and affordability. She said the public requires transportation that is faster, easier, and more accessible, and that robust transit helps combat cost-of-living concerns.

Edmond Leclerc, chair of the board for the Association du transport urbain du Québec, confirmed the $20 billion figure is required just to maintain existing infrastructure. The municipalities are seeking stable, predictable, and sustainable funding, coupled with a reduction in what they describe as provincial bureaucracy, micromanagement, and administrative delays.