Quebec public transit: intercity carriers denounce $200 million cuts

An organization representing intercity bus carriers is also denouncing the Legault government’s $200 million cuts to public transit. It argues that services on some local and regional routes are threatened. 

The Federation of Bus Carriers (FTA) joins its voice with other groups, including the Union of Quebec Municipalities, to ask the CAQ government to back down on its decision.

The budget for the Public Transit Development Assistance Program (PADTC) has been reduced to $998 million for the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2028. The program’s new budget was recently revealed and has sparked outrage and surprise among many. 

According to the FTA, the cuts will reduce the financial assistance provided per intercity bus route from $185,000 to $125,000 annually. 

“Each carrier obviously does its own analysis of its network, but this news and this new program cannot lead to anything other than service reductions, or even potentially line abandonments,” says FTA Vice-President of Public Sector Division, Nicolas Maheux, in an interview. 

He specifies that the lines most likely to suffer the consequences are more local or regional connections. 

The man who is also the general manager of the Maheux Bus Group in Abitibi-Témiscamingue mentions that his company is looking at the future of two lines: Amos-Rivière-Héva and Chibougameau-Val-d’Or. 

“We haven’t yet decided exactly what service reductions we’ll have to make. (…) But without public support for these services, we’ll unfortunately have to consider reducing the offering, which is exactly the opposite of what we want. And the first to pay for this will be the users,” laments Maheux. 

He points out that carriers must obtain authorization from the Quebec Transport Commission before making any changes to their services. 

The FTA points out that the financial assistance provided in the funding envelope of recent years was “already insufficient.” It had hoped for a budget increase, reflecting inflation, in the new version of the program.

“ The financial assistance available with component 3 of the program makes it possible to maintain services that are operating at a loss. (…) By putting this program in place, the government is making the choice to support these lines in order to maintain services, even in places where profitability is definitely problematic,” explains Maheux. 

Transport Minister Jonatan Julien argued last week that the $998 million in support is “a significantly higher level” than that seen before the pandemic.

“Inappropriate” arrangements

The FTA also wanted a review of the terms of the PADTC, which it currently considers “inadequate and making financial assistance inaccessible to communities and businesses”.

Maheux points out that some of the program’s funds remain unused, since one of the conditions for accessing them is a financial commitment from the regional county municipalities (RCMs) to cover part of the costs. Many of these RCMs are hesitant to advance funds from their own budgets to support services that extend beyond their borders.

“We are asking that the terms of the program allow carriers and intercity users to benefit from the sums that Quebec is ready to invest without the municipal sector having to commit to paying for services that extend beyond their borders,” argues Maheux. 

In June 2020, the Conference of Prefects of Abitibi-Témiscamingue called on the government regarding regional intercity public transit, arguing that “the RCMs will no longer pay for Quebec.” They maintained that intercity transit falls under Quebec’s jurisdiction. 

The FTA has six intercity transport companies among its members, including Keolis and Transdev. 

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews