The RTC less funded by Quebec than other transport companies

The Capital Transportation Network (RTC) is the public transportation service that receives proportionally the least government subsidies, according to the different operating budgets of the main transportation companies in the province. In 2023, 17.2% of its revenues came from provincial sources while everywhere else this proportion is above 20% and even exceeds 40% in the Montreal region.

Provincial revenues include operational subsidies, emergency aid linked to the pandemic and the contribution of motorists, since it is taken by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec in the payment of registration.

In Montreal, it is the Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority (ARTM) which is responsible for distributing funding to transport companies in the Montreal Urban Community. It receives 42.3% of its revenue from the government.

Jean-Philippe Meloche, professor at the school of urban planning and landscape architecture at the University of Montreal, does not know exactly why Quebec City finds itself at the back of the pack, but he explains that it is normal that with a larger pool of users and a greater variety of means of transportation, Montreal is in the lead.

The government of Quebec has a large stake in the means of transportation which are […] clean, all these means of transport are in the Montreal region. We’re talking about the REM metro and commuter trainshe says.

Bus systems do not have the same needs. In other transport companies, we tend to use buses and the programs for buses are much less generous. And if we are not developing new bus lines, it is likely that during certain years we had less subsidiesalso adds the professor.

It is normal to have some variation between the proportions of amounts awarded. Government subsidies are not consistent from one year to the next or from one transport organization to anotherunderlines Jean-Philippe Meloche.

Moreover, in 2024, the RTC hopes to get 19.5% of its income from the provincial government, including one-off assistance of 10.6%.

Taxation

Despite variations from year to year, one of the contributions paid by the provincial government has nevertheless continued to decrease in the total weight of the budgets of transport companies, that of the contribution from motorists.

$ on registration has been fixed since 1992, then it has not been indexed, so it is a proportion which is decreasing “,”text”:”This contribution of $30 on registration has been fixed since 1992, then it has not been indexed, so it is a decreasing proportion “}}”>This contribution of $30 on registration has been fixed since 1992, then it was not indexed, so it is a proportion that is decreasing notes Fanny Tremblay-Racicot, professor of municipal and regional administration at the National School of Public Administration (ÉNAP).

Earlier this year, cities were granted permission to levy an additional tax on registrations. For the moment, only municipalities that are on the territory of theARTM decided to ask for it and Gatineau could also follow suit.

In the Quebec region, the mayors of Lévis and L’Ancienne-Lorette ruled it out, leaving the mayor of Quebec alone to think about this possibility.

Fanny Tremblay-Racicot also mentions the possibility of introducing a tax on gasoline, as is already the case in Montreal, or of levying a royalty on new real estate developments. Other measures that leaders are shy to use.

It’s like everyone has their foot on the brake and doesn’t want to use the powers they already have. Everyone must have the political courage to use the tools at their disposal to meet their mission.she maintains.

However, it is the Cities which must decide and Étienne Grandmont, the spokesperson for Québec Solidaire in terms of transport, sees this as a way that the government is using to pass on the odiousness of increasing a new tax to local elected officials. . Giving this possibility to municipalities one year before the elections, it is very unlikely that we will be able to develop public transport in a context like this.argues the member for Taschereau.

On the other hand, the government wants to stop paying emergency aid and one-off amounts, even if ridership has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic level.

Meanwhile, transportation company expenses continue to rise. The needs are much greater, electrification is required of us, these are additional costs, even if it is financed by the government, there is a part that we must finance and it does not provide a service to citizensalso gives the example of Steve Dorval, municipal councilor and president of the Société de transport de Lévis.

Statements that still go wrong

More than a hundred young people gathered in Quebec for the Youth Summit on Climate Change. Several young people did not digest the words of the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility in relation to the responsibility of her ministry with regard to public transport.

I just don’t understand why and they say it’s not a mission of their government. I find it really disappointing that they don’t listen to the populationlaments the student and activist, Augustine Packwood.

We end up with a government that not only refuses to act, but also ultimately favors the interests of the people who have the most money.for his part supports activist Albert Lalonde.

They took the opportunity to demand better dialogue and more listening from leaders.

With information from Louis-Philippe Arsenault and Jérémie Camirand.