Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 4.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $27.3bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
New government funding initiatives increase public transit appeal and reduce price hikes
- Most public transportation companies in Canada operate at a loss and rely on government subsidies to compensate for the revenue shortfall. Funding levels do not fluctuate significantly from year to year. Implemented in 2016, the Investing in Canada Plan continues to provide stable funding for infrastructure through 2028. The New Building Canada Fund provides especially vital support for public transit development.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
New subsidies will drive up revenue
- The permanent Canada Public Transit Fund will begin flowing multi-year capital dollars through Metro-Region Agreements starting in 2026 and 2027. Provincial programs like Ontario’s One Fare compensation and ongoing municipal/provincial operating subsidies will also continue to support public transportation.
Biggest companies in the Public Transportation in Canada
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 | Profit ($m)
2025 | Profit Margin (%)
2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Toronto Transit Commission | 4,102.2 | 558.1 | 13.6 | |
TransLink | 2,781.2 | 429.4 | 15.4 | |
Montreal Transit Corporation | 1,935.9 | 876.3 | 45.3 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Buses, Heavy rail and Streetcars. Buses is the largest segment of the Public Transportation in Canada.
Trends and Insights
Buses' cheap price point makes them the most popular form of public transit
- Buses require minimal infrastructure and operate on roads shared with other vehicles. Constructing a bus stop is also much more affordable than other modes of public transit, requiring only a sign and possibly a bench or shelter.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The Public Transportation industry in Canada operates local and suburban passenger transit systems using heavy rail, subways, streetcars and buses. These services operate with fixed routes and schedule and allow passengers to pay per trip. Many also accept payment methods like monthly passes or unlimited rides over a set number of days.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Public Transportation industry in Canada include Operating heavy rail systems, including metro and subway systems, Operating light rail systems, including streetcar, tramway or trolley, Operating commuter transit systems, Operating mixed mode transit systems, including bus, commuter rail and subway combinations and Operating commuter and local bus operations.Companies
Companies covered in the Public Transportation industry in Canada include Toronto Transit Commission, TransLink and Montreal Transit Corporation.Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Public Transportation industry in Canada include heavy rail, light rail and paratransit.Industry Code
NAICS 485110 - Public Transportation in Canada
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Ridership had recovered mainly to pre-pandemic levels by 2025, driving revenue growth. However, the adoption of permanent hybrid work limits full recovery prospects.
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Buses remain the most popular form of public transit because of their low capital costs. Buses are set to expand as many cities implement bus-only lanes.
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Ontario has almost half of the country's public transportation systems. The Toronto Transit Commission is the most extensive mass transit system in Canada. Largest transit ca...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each province in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each province in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Public transportation companies rarely compete with each other. New entrants cannot immediately access government subsidies, which results in elevated market share concentrat...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
The Toronto Transit Commission, TransLink and Montreal Transit Corporation operate as regional monopolies, with no consolidation occurring despite pandemic disruptions. Gover...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Toronto Transit Commission's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of TransLink's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Montreal Transit Corporation's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Toronto Transit Commission, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for TransLink, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Montreal Transit Corporation, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Transport Canada is a major regulator of public transportation. Its regulations help ensure that riding on public transit is safe, secure and environmentally conscious.
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Public transportation services report surpluses, not profit. The majority of public transportation services are supported by government assistance, which prevents them from g...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
- Assets (2018-2023)
- Liabilities (2018-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Public Transportation industry in Canada in 2025?
The market size of the Public Transportation industry in Canada is $27.3bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Public Transportation industry in Canada in 2025?
There are 98 businesses in the Public Transportation industry in Canada, which has grown at a CAGR of 8.6 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Public Transportation industry in Canada?
The Public Transportation industry in Canada is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Public Transportation industry in Canada?
The Public Transportation industry in Canada is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Public Transportation industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Public Transportation industry in Canada has been growing at a CAGR of 4.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Public Transportation industry in Canada over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Public Transportation industry in Canada is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Public Transportation industry in Canada?
The biggest companies operating in the Public Transportation industry in Canada are Toronto Transit Commission, TransLink and Montreal Transit Corporation
What does the Public Transportation industry in Canada include?
Operating heavy rail systems, including metro and subway systems and Operating light rail systems, including streetcar, tramway or trolley are part of the Public Transportation industry in Canada.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Public Transportation industry in Canada?
The company holding the most market share in the Public Transportation industry in Canada is Toronto Transit Commission.
How competitive is the Public Transportation industry in Canada?
The level of competition is low and steady in the Public Transportation industry in Canada.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Canada include:
- Statistics Canada
- Industry Canada
- Canadian Business Patterns
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
