Urban public transit use in Canada continued to weaken in November, extending a year-long decline even as agencies brought in more operating revenue and governments pushed workers back into offices. The gap between fare revenue and actual passenger demand is becoming harder to ignore.
Transit agencies recorded an estimated 135.5 million passenger trips in November 2025, down 3.1% from a year earlier, marking the seventh straight month of year-over-year declines, reinforcing a pattern that has persisted well beyond the immediate post-pandemic adjustment period.
Seasonal slowdowns are typical in late fall, but the November drop was sharper than historical norms. Ridership fell 5.0% from October, more than double the average October-to-November decline seen before the pandemic. The drop came despite continued employment growth and stricter in-office attendance requirements, suggesting commuting patterns are not rebounding as expected.
Early winter storms and labour disruptions likely played a role in suppressing trips in parts of the country. The data point to a structural shift in how, and how often, Canadians use public transit, particularly for daily work travel.
While fewer people rode transit, operating revenue excluding subsidies rose 2.4% from a year earlier to $357.9 million, reflecting fare increases, service adjustments, and higher prices rather than stronger demand, highlighting how agencies are leaning on revenue measures to offset falling volumes.
The divergence between revenue and ridership raises questions about affordability and long-term usage. Higher fares may be helping balance operating budgets in the short term, but they risk reinforcing a cycle where declining ridership pushes costs onto a shrinking base of regular users.
November’s figures add to growing pressure on transit planners and municipal governments. With ridership trends moving in the opposite direction of policy goals tied to climate targets, congestion reduction, and downtown recovery, the data suggest existing strategies are failing to draw riders back at scale.