Highlights
In December, urban transit ridership in Canada reached 131.7 million trips, or 85.9% of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level from December 2019.
In 2024, there were roughly 1.6 billion total passenger trips taken, up from the 1.5 billion trips recorded in 2023 and representing 84.2% of the 2019 total.
Data on total passenger trips and operating revenue for selected urban transit agencies are available in table 23-10-0307-01.
Recovery slowing
Transit riders took an estimated 131.7 million trips on Canada's urban transit networks in December 2024, up 7.7% compared with December 2023, but 21.6 million fewer compared with December 2019.
Revenue lagging
In December 2024, transit agency operating revenue (excluding subsidies) was up 13.8% from the same month in 2023 to reach $336.2 million, which was $2.5 million lower than the pre-pandemic December 2019 level.
Chart 1: Urban public transit operating revenue and passenger trips, monthly, 2019 to 2024
Description - Chart 1
Data table: Urban public transit operating revenue and passenger trips, monthly, 2019 to 2024
Source: Table 23-10-0251-01.
Year in review, 2024
Public health measures introduced in March 2020 to combat the pandemic had a profound impact as ridership fell from almost 1.9 billion trips in 2019 to 849.1 million in 2020 and then down to 778.4 million in 2021.
While ridership has recovered steadily but slowly each year since 2021, commuting by transit has not returned to pre-pandemic patterns. In 2024, Canada's transit agencies provided 1.6 billion passenger trips, 8.8% higher than in 2023, but 84.2% of the pre-pandemic level from 2019.
Chart 2: Urban public transit ridership, 2019 to 2024
Description - Chart 2
Data table: Urban public transit ridership, 2019 to 2024
Source: Table 23-10-0251-01.
Over this same period from July 1, 2019, to July 1, 2024, Canada's population grew by almost 3.7 million people (+9.8%).
Lower ridership has a financial impact on transit agencies and municipal budgets. Total operating revenue hit a low of $1.8 billion in 2021. It has increased every year since but remains below pre-pandemic levels at $3.9 billion in 2024, 93.6% of the 2019 total.
Note to readers
Statistics Canada is publishing more detail from the Monthly Passenger Bus and Urban Transit Survey. The new table 23-10-0307-01—Passenger bus and urban transit statistics, by Urban transit agency—includes operating revenue and ridership at the city level for selected transit agencies. Statistics Canada appreciates the cooperation of the 15 transit agencies in making this information available to Canadians.
Survey data are revised on a monthly basis to reflect new and updated information.
The data in this release are not seasonally adjusted.
This survey collects data on operating revenue (excluding subsidies) and the number of passenger trips from a panel of urban transit companies that represents at least 75% of revenue in each province and territory. Note that the panel is adjusted annually to maintain the 75% coverage and could differ slightly from what it was in the same month the previous year.
One-time payments from secondary and post-secondary institutions for academic-year student passes are typically reported as revenue during the early fall and early winter months.
Data prior to January 2017 can be found in table 23-10-0078-01.
Random tabular adjustment
The random tabular adjustment (RTA) technique, which aims to increase the amount of data made available to users while protecting the confidentiality of respondents, was applied to the totals of the Monthly Passenger Bus and Urban Transit Survey.
Using RTA, Statistics Canada identifies sensitive data and randomly adjusts values rather than suppressing them. The size of the adjustment is calculated to protect respondent confidentiality.
The Transportation Data and Information Hub provides Canadians with online access to comprehensive statistics and indicators for the country's transportation sector.
Reference
Data tables: 23-10-0251-01 and 23-10-0307-01.
- Note: some data tables may best be viewed on desktop.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2745.
Previous release: Urban public transit, November 2024.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).