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Private car transportation is also massively subsidized. Near my neighbourhood, they are rebuilding a highway exchange for more than 3.6 B$CAD (2.7 USD). A few

by mgbmtl 9y ago

Private car transportation is also massively subsidized. Near my neighbourhood, they are rebuilding a highway exchange for more than 3.6 B$CAD (2.7 USD). A few blocks from there, they have to rebuild a bridge, another 4.2 B$CAD. It's not even old infra. It was built in the 60s, but it didn't last (harsh winters, bad concrete, too much traffic).

99_00 9y ago
And that's why they have gas taxes. Canada has a federal one, and maybe your province has an additional tax. In Vancouver, public transportation gets half it's funding from property tax and fuel tax. And more than 70% of commuters drive. So not only are car drivers funding roads, they're also funding public transportation. http://buzzer.translink.ca/2013/03/translink-101-where-does-translink-get-its-funding-and-how-do-we-spend-it/ http://buzzer.translink.ca/2013/03/translink-101-where-does-... Then what happens if people stop driving and take public transportation? Their costs go up and revenue goes down. Double whammy.
- mgbmtl 9y ago
  For Quebec, according to some numbers I found, in 2013-2014 (when gaz prices were high), the provincial government made 2.2 B$ from gaz taxes that year. If that's the case, it's not that much compared to all the infra that needs overhaul.
- Obi_Juan_Kenobi 9y ago
  Private transportation doesn't fund the roads, only about half of it on average. 'Use' taxes only cover about 1/3 to 2/3rds of road expenditures (in the US). https://taxfoundation.org/how-your-state-s-road-spending-funded-2016/ https://taxfoundation.org/how-your-state-s-road-spending-fun... If everyone used public transportation, all the property taxes and so forth used on roads could go to public trans instead.
  - 99_00 9y ago
    Public transportation uses roads. If you mean some sort of mass transit that doesn't use roads how do you transport freight and how do emergency vehicles get around? Sorry, doesn't work.
marcosdumay 9y ago
Collective transportation and freight degrade pavement much faster than cars.
- mgbmtl 9y ago
  Overweight freight, sure. Collective transportation.. certainly not per-capita (assuming you're talking about buses, not subway/rail). Any references? Where I live, the main causes usually quoted are: overweight freight, roads over capacity, salt and winter.

by mgbmtl 9y ago

99_00 9y ago

And that's why they have gas taxes. Canada has a federal one, and maybe your province has an additional tax. In Vancouver, public transportation gets half it's funding from property tax and fuel tax. And more than 70% of commuters drive. So not only are car drivers funding roads, they're also funding public transportation. http://buzzer.translink.ca/2013/03/translink-101-where-does-translink-get-its-funding-and-how-do-we-spend-it/ http://buzzer.translink.ca/2013/03/translink-101-where-does-... Then what happens if people stop driving and take public transportation? Their costs go up and revenue goes down. Double whammy.

mgbmtl 9y ago
For Quebec, according to some numbers I found, in 2013-2014 (when gaz prices were high), the provincial government made 2.2 B$ from gaz taxes that year. If that's the case, it's not that much compared to all the infra that needs overhaul.
Obi_Juan_Kenobi 9y ago
Private transportation doesn't fund the roads, only about half of it on average. 'Use' taxes only cover about 1/3 to 2/3rds of road expenditures (in the US). https://taxfoundation.org/how-your-state-s-road-spending-funded-2016/ https://taxfoundation.org/how-your-state-s-road-spending-fun... If everyone used public transportation, all the property taxes and so forth used on roads could go to public trans instead.
- 99_00 9y ago
  Public transportation uses roads. If you mean some sort of mass transit that doesn't use roads how do you transport freight and how do emergency vehicles get around? Sorry, doesn't work.

marcosdumay 9y ago

Collective transportation and freight degrade pavement much faster than cars.

mgbmtl 9y ago
Overweight freight, sure. Collective transportation.. certainly not per-capita (assuming you're talking about buses, not subway/rail). Any references? Where I live, the main causes usually quoted are: overweight freight, roads over capacity, salt and winter.