Future of transit at stake: mayors

Canada’s big-city mayors are calling for the federal government’s help to make up huge shortfalls in transit revenue that threaten to derail the nation’s transit systems. The Big City Mayors’ Caucus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities released a statement Wednesday asking the Liberals to cover transit shortfalls for the year, or else risk major service reductions, postponed construction on new projects and property tax hikes. The feds have given extra funds to provinces in the pandemic, and provinces have passed some of that cash to cities to keep transit systems running. This time, though, the mayors say the need is more urgent.