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While the federal government continues to announce support for capital projects, such as major light rail and subway builds like the Ontario Line, the lack of support for public transit operations has left some questioning if Ottawa intends to build the shiny new public transit of the future on top of the ‘rotting corpse’ of the transit networks that exist today.46 Operating support has only been. [...] Quebec, PEI and NewfoundLand the level of public transit service than the are the only provinces which have seen average person living in a New Brunswick improvements in public transit service levels municipality.60 Note: Service Kilometres per Capita is the most accurate measure of the overall supply of public transit service provided to people that is comparable between jurisdictions. [...] their approach to transportation and urban But cities do not have the fiscal capacity planning at the scale and pace required to finance the construction of major capital to meet national climate objectives.108 projects and lack the revenue tools to Literature from the world of transport support the high public transit service economics indicates that because local levels needed to drive significa. [...] and provide’ approach that both can make a real tangible difference in local communities The city of Madrid, Spain has one of the across the country in the level and quality most extensive public transit rail networks of service provided, but also enable public in the world, with 242 stations and 179 miles transit systems to adapt to new travel of track. [...] This is the best path to in the pace of subway construction - 90.5 respond to the slump in ridership following miles of heavy rail infrastructure within the the pandemic and stop service cuts and the span of two election cycles.