Sustainable mobility: the high cost of inertia

Sometime in the next few weeks, the Quebec government will adopt a sustainable mobility policy that addresses all the ways and means that people and goods are transported – a comprehensive approach, with new social, economic, and environmental goals. Among the policy’s targets, as we already know, will be rebalancing and enhancing interconnection among the modes of human transportation, less dependence on cars, improved safety, optimal use of innovative technologies and logistics, lower energy consumption, and, most importantly, a major reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

While municipalities fully support these lofty ambitions, the fact remains that the new policy must include an agenda for one of its main components – public transit. Which is why sustainable mobility is one of three strategic priorities on the UQM municipal sector platform for the October 2018 provincial election. It will also be the subject of a major forum at our annual convention in May.

Municipalities invest $2.5 billion every year in public transit, plan and execute public transit projects, and make decisions on questions of sustainable land use within their respective boundaries – all essential factors in the new policy, its rollout, and its ultimate success.

We also have real needs where public transit infrastructure, facilities, and vehicles are concerned – needs that will cost close to $8 billion over the next five years, particularly for dedicated roadways, bus lanes, park-and-ride areas, and leasing or purchasing hybrid buses.

Municipalities at present also bear most of the operating costs for public transit. This entails an annual shortfall of nearly $400 million, if we take the current projections on user traffic into account. These figures too will increase as a result of the new policy. However, the capacity of municipalities to fund these escalating costs seems more doubtful than ever, due to limitations on property taxes and service rates. A review of how operating costs are shared is critical as a short-term priority.

Another partial solution we should consider immediately – which would not require any additional public spending – would be to take the majority of the Green Fund allocation that helps pay for public transit (currently 34%) and use that money not only for infrastructure maintenance but for development as well. It’s crucial that a decision on this should be made in time for the next provincial budget by finance minister Carlos Leitão. This would be a clear sign that the government not only has its goals and priorities set for sustainable mobility but is also prepared to act accordingly by putting resources where they need to go

Municipalities have high expectations for the next provincial budget and we hope that adequate funding for public transit will be one of the government’s key priorities – a benefit to people living in everywhere in Quebec.

ALEXANDRE CUSSON MAYOR OF DRUMMONDVILLE PRESIDENT, UNION OF QUEBEC MUNICIPALITIES