Urban public transit, November 2021

Released: 2022-01-26

Highlights

In November, ridership on Canada's urban transit networks continued to grow, reaching 89.4 million passenger trips, the highest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Transit appeared to be on a path towards recovery as the number of passengers was more than half (54.2%) of the pre-pandemic level from November 2019.

Ridership hits new milestone

The 89.4 million transit riders in November was up 53.9% from 58.1 million in November 2020 and marked the sixth straight month of a year-over-year increase. This was the highest number of passengers carried since March 2020. Despite this milestone, November 2021 registered 75.4 million fewer passenger trips than did the same month in 2019, pre-pandemic.

In November 2021, passenger trips recovered over half (54.2%) of pre-pandemic levels for the first time since March 2020, with more people in-store shopping, dining out, attending entertainment venues, and learning in-class. The Labour Force Survey reported that the number of Canadians working from home was down by about 400,000 compared with November 2020.

On a monthly basis, rather than the typical seasonal decline in ridership seen in the month of November, it increased by 6.3% in November 2021, or nearly 5.3 million riders, from October. This growth reflected further lifting of COVID-19-related restrictions in most provinces across the country, with additional trips more or less split between urban areas in Western Canada and those in Quebec and Ontario.

In late November 2021 however, the World Health Organization declared a new variant of concern, Omicron, which has prompted new health restrictions. While Omicron did not appear to have an impact in November, the quick rise in cases along with widespread employee shortages will be felt by the urban transit industry starting in December.

Financial situation continues to improve

In November 2021, transit agency operating revenues (excluding subsidies) reached $198.8 million—an increase of 39.2%, or $56.0 million, from the same month in 2020. While this total revenue was the highest level recorded since March 2020, it was still 47.7% below the operating revenues earned in November 2019, before the pandemic.

Chart 1 
Urban public transit operating revenue and passenger trips, monthly, 2018 to 2021

Another look at 2020

The pandemic has had a significant impact on Canadian urban transit. Based on preliminary data, key indicators for the transit industry— ridership, service, expenses and revenues—are being published from the Annual Passenger Bus and Urban Transit Survey for 2020 (see Note to readers). The final estimates will be available later this spring.

The impact was most apparent on ridership. The roughly 1.03 billion passenger trips in 2020—almost half of these trips taken in the first three months prior to the lockdown—represented 45.0% of those taken pre-pandemic 2019 (2.28 billion). Even with subsidies and additional emergency payments, total operating revenues ($10.2 billion) declined by 9.7%.

Despite fewer riders, however, service was maintained as urban transit was deemed essential during the pandemic. In 2020, agencies provided 1.26 billion vehicle-kilometres of service, more than 90% of the 2019 level (1.37 billion vehicle-kilometres). As such, total operating expenses ($12.0 billion) saw a slight decline (-1.6%) from the 2019 total.

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).