Canada’s rural communities often struggle with limited public transportation, making it harder for people to get to work, school, healthcare and other essential services. A new article in The Conversation, “Is Canada finally investing in its rural communities? What funding for rural transit reveals,” explores whether recent federal investments are helping close that gap. The article examine how funding is being distributed and whether it is reaching the co
At this year’s Good Roads Conference in Toronto, a presentation on rural and northern transit offered a clear reminder that transportation planning in Canada is not one-size-fits-all. Ryan Gibson, on behalf of Sarah-Patricia Breen and Ela Mastej, highlighted how distance, low population density, and limited infrastructure shape transit systems outside urban centres. In many rural and northern communities, transit is not about convenience—it is about access
Sarah-Patricia Breen (Selkirk College), Ryan Gibson (University of Guelph), and Hannah Main (Dalhousie University) recently published a new article in Canadian Public Policy. The article examines the distribution of federal public transit funding, highlighting a significant urban-rural disparity. The authors argue that current federal funding mechanisms predominantly favor urban centers, leaving rural and remote communities underserved. This imbalance not
