Urban public transit, January 2023
Released: 2023-03-15
Highlights
In January 2023, urban transit ridership in Canada reached 118.4 million trips, representing almost three-quarters (73.6%) of the January 2019 level, pre-COVID-19 pandemic.
Ridership recovery continues
In January 2023, an estimated 118.4 million passenger trips were taken on Canada's urban networks, a sharp increase from the same month in 2022. The total number of trips was nearly double the 64.8 million trips taken in January 2022, when ridership waned because of the Omicron variant.
Nationally, ridership in January 2023 recovered just under three-quarters (73.6%) of the pre-pandemic level from January 2019, the highest rate of recovery to date. However, this was still about 42.5 million fewer rides compared with the same month in 2019.
Strong job growth may have bolstered ridership. As reported by the Labour Force Survey, unemployment remained near a record low in January, with job gains in industries which require on-site presence, such as wholesale and retail trade, healthcare and social assistance and educational services.
On a monthly basis before the pandemic, passenger trips typically increased by just over 8% from December to January as students and workers returned after the holiday break. This January experienced a 9.6% increase from December 2022.
Financial situation continues to improve
In January, transit agency operating revenues (excluding subsidies) totalled $267.6 million, an increase of 62.4%, or $102.8 million, from the same month in 2022. However, this total still represented just over three-quarters (76.5%) of the pre-pandemic January 2019 level.
Chart 1
Urban public transit operating revenue and passenger trips, monthly, 2019 to 2023
Note to readers
Survey data are revised on a monthly basis to reflect new 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 revenues 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.
Data prior to January 2017 can be found in table 23-10-0078-01.
The Transportation Data and Information Hub, a web portal developed jointly by Statistics Canada and Transport Canada, provides Canadians with online access to comprehensive statistics and measures on the country's transportation sector.
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).
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