Transit & Transportation platforms
Here's what the candidates in Markham—Unionville, and their parties, are promising.Low-emissions vehicles
NDP
- Build towards 100% of new car sales be zero-emission vehicles by 2040, with a focus on such vehicles being manufactured in Canada.
- Waive federal sales tax on zero-emission vehicle purchases.
- Expand charging networks and help homeowners install chargers.
Our vision includes making it possible for Canadian auto manufacturers to produce more ZEVs in Canada, safeguarding good jobs, and strengthening our auto sector, while building towards ZEVs being 100% of new car sales by 2040. We will create a centre of excellence for research and development of ZEVs, and support Canadian manufacturing of batteries, energy storage solutions, and alternative fuels like biofuels made from waste.
A New Democrat government will extend federal incentives for ZEVs and provide a break for working families by waiving the federal sales tax on ZEV purchases, and grow these incentives up to $15,000 per family for made-in-Canada vehicles. To make ZEV use easier for Canadians in all regions, we’ll expand charging networks for ZEVs across the country and help homeowners cover the cost of installing a plug-in charger.
From A New Deal for People, retrieved 2019-09-22.
Liberal
- Install up to 5000 charging stations along the Trans Canada Highway and other major road networks.
- Provide a 10% rebate on a used zero-emission vehicle up to a max value of $2000.
- Explore measures to support the conversion of business fleets.
To make using zero-emission vehicles easier, we will move forward – in partnership with industry and communities – to install up to 5,000 charging stations along the Trans Canada Highway and other major road networks, and in Canada’s urban and rural areas. Northern communities, as well as apartments and condominiums, will also be included – connecting people and communities from coast to coast to coast.
As more and more people buy zero-emission vehicles, there will be a growing market of used vehicles for sale. To make buying a used zero-emission vehicle more affordable, we will expand the incentive that already exists for buying new zero-emission cars.
This will provide a 10 per cent rebate on a used zero-emission vehicle up to a maximum value of $2,000.
To help communities transition to using more zero-emission vehicles, we will require that new federal investments in public transit are used to support zero-emission buses and rail systems starting in 2023, and will work with municipalities to address any exceptional circumstances.
Working in partnership with the provinces and territories, we will also move forward with a new fund to help more school boards and municipalities purchase 5,000 zero-emissions school and transit buses over the next five years.
And to encourage more businesses to make the transition to zero-emission vehicles, we will explore measures to support the conversion of business fleets, such as those used by taxi and courier companies, and industrial vehicles, like mining trucks.
From Forward, retrieved 2019-10-01.
Green
- Ban sale of internal combustion engine passenger vehicles by 2030.
- Exempt new and used zero-emission vehicles from federal sales tax.
- Expand charging stations for electric vehicles.
- Use sustainable biofuels where electric and fuel cells are not viable.
Ban the sale of internal combustion engine passenger vehicles by 2030.
Exempt new and used electric and zero-emission vehicles from federal sales tax.
Expand charging stations for electric vehicles, including all parking lots associated with federal facilities.
Maximize emissions reductions in all transportation through the use of sustainably produced biofuels, made from waste wood by-products and used vegetable oils, where electric and fuel cells not viable, as is the case for fishing, mining and forestry equipment.
From Election Platform 2019, retrieved 2019-09-22.
Northern travel
Liberal
- Provide at least $1,200 in deductible travel costs for people living in the Northern Zone, and $600 for those in the Intermediate Zone.
- Direct the Competition Bureau to oversee pricing of transportation in the North.
Passenger ferries
Liberal
Green
Public transit options
NDP
A New Democrat government will modernize and expand public transit in communities across Canada, and ensure that federal transit funding flows with an emphasis on scaling up low-carbon transitprojects, like zero-emissions buses and electric trains, with the goal of electrifying transit and other municipal fleets by 2030.
Working with provinces and municipalities that identify it as a priority, we will help them build towards fare-free transit to ease commutes, help people make ends meet, and lower emissions. At the same time, Canadians living in rural areas need affordable, convenient transit options that they can rely on, too. We’ll re-establish rural bus routes abandoned by Greyhound and expand bus service in rural regions.
A New Democrat government will also support creating high-frequency rail along the Quebec-Windsor corridor and expand rail service options in other regions in partnership with the provinces and territories. By working to restore the Ontario Northlander and grow passenger rail service, we will help provide a crucial transportation link for communities and businesses alike in Northern Ontario.
From A New Deal for People, retrieved 2019-09-22.
Conservative
The Credit will be for transit passes that allow for unlimited travel within Canada on local busses (sic), streetcars, subways, commuter trains, and ferries. Some electronic fare cards and weekly passes can be eligible if they are used on an ongoing basis.
From Andrew Scheer to reduce cost of public transit, retrieved 2019-10-08.
Rail
Green
- Invest $600m in 2020-21, rising to $720m by 2023, to develop regional and inter-regional rail networks.
- Build high-speed rail in the Toronto-Ottawa-Quebec City triangle and the Calgary-Edmonton corridor.
- Develop a Green Freight Transport programme and fund track re-routing.
Enact the Via Rail Act to implement a passenger rail transportation policy. Invest $600 million in 2020-21, rising to $720 million by 2023 to develop regional rail networks and strengthen rail connections between regions. This will include building several sections of 10 km of track to avoid bottlenecks where heavy freight pushes passenger rail to the siding.
Build high-speed rail in the Toronto-Ottawa-Quebec City triangle and the Calgary-Edmonton corridor.
Develop a Green Freight Transport program to address greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in partnership with the freight industry, shipping companies and delivery businesses. Fund the re-routing of tracks for freight and rail yards away from populated areas and strengthen Canada’s rail safety rules, giving regulators the tools they need to protect neighbourhoods from train shipments of hazardous materials.
From Election Platform 2019, retrieved 2019-09-22.
Transit infrastructure
NDP
- Put in place a permanent, direct, allocation-based funding mechanism for modern public transit.
- Step up investments to help cities transition bus fleets to electric.
- Expand affordable rail and bus options in all parts of the country.
[...] we’ll put in place a permanent, direct, allocation-based funding mechanism for modern public transit across Canada for the long run. We’ll also step up investments now to help cities transition their bus fleets to electric and to expand affordable rail and bus options in all parts of the country. And for municipalities that make it a priority, a New Democrat government will work with them towards fare-free transit to ease commutes and make life more affordable.
From A New Deal for People, retrieved 2019-09-22.
Liberal
- Make the federal commitment to fund public transit permanent, keeping up with the rising cost of construction.
- Provide an additional $3 billion / per year.
- Require new federal investments be used to support zero-emission buses and rail systems starting in 2023.
To give cities the predictable transit funding they need to plan for the future, we will move forward with making the federal commitment to fund public transit permanent, and will make sure that it keeps up with the rising cost of construction over time. This will mean an additional $3 billion more per year in stable, predictable funding for our cities’ transit needs, on top of transfers through the federal Gas Tax Fund.
From Forward, retrieved 2019-10-01.