Applications are now open for the Rural Transit Solutions Fund and the Active Transportation Fund.
The Government of Canada’s (GOC) Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) is designed to support transit services in communities of all sizes, including urban, mid-sized, rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous areas. It provides funding to municipalities, transit authorities, and other groups for long-term planning and implementation of public transit projects.
The GOC recently announced applications are now open for two funding programs under the CPTF: the Rural Transit Solutions Fund and the Active Transportation Fund, both of which are delivered under the Targeted Funding Stream.
Rural Transit Solutions Fund
The Rural Transit Solutions Fund helps rural, remote, Indigenous, and Northern communities improve local transit. The fund supports various transit models, including fixed routes, on-demand services, and micromobility options. Eligible organizations can apply for funding under two streams:
- Planning and Design Projects: Grants up to $50,000 for planning and designing new or expanded transit solutions. This stream is currently not accepting applications.
- Capital Projects: Contributions up to $10 million for tangible capital assets for public use, such as vehicles and infrastructure.
Under the capital projects stream, eligible organizations with minimum two years of transit experience, including local governments partnering with experienced transit groups or those with a recent public transit feasibility study (after January 1, 2020), can apply for up to $10 million in federal funding. Organizations with less than two years of experience or no recent feasibility study may qualify for up to $250,000. Applications are now being accepted through Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada’s (HICC) online portal until 1:00 p.m. MST, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. To assist with the application process, application guides can be found here. HICC is also hosting multiple webinars that will provide information on the application process. Registration for the webinars can be found here.
Active Transportation Fund
Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods powered by human activity, including walking, cycling, and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and more. The Active Transportation Fund provides eligible recipients, such as governments, public sector bodies, not-for-profit organizations, and Indigenous organizations, funding to develop active transportation infrastructure. The Active Transportation Fund offers two funding streams:
- Planning Projects: Involve the development or enhancement of formal active transportation strategic planning documents or stakeholder engagement. This stream is currently not accepting applications.
- Capital Projects: Involve new construction, enhancement of existing infrastructure, and/or improvements to design and safety features that encourage active transportation.
Eligible applicants can apply for capital projects through the application portal until February 26, 2025. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the Applicant Guide for Capital Projects as well as the Step-by-Step Guide for Capital Projects.
Jared Shaigec
Policy Advisor
825.319.2312
jared@RMAlberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
General Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com