What’s the state of transit in Canada right now—and what’s next?

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Dave Reage, Chair of the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) and a longtime transit leader with deep experience in Halifax Transit. Dave shares a national view of Canada’s biggest transit priorities—from funding and financial stability to ridership shifts, workforce challenges, and the evolving role of technology and innovation.

Dave also reflects on Halifax’s unique transit story (including its historic harbor ferries) and explains why Canada’s post-pandemic demand patterns are rewriting the rules—creating new pressure to match service levels with changing rider behavior.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

1. How Canadian transit governance differs from the U.S. model
2. Why operating funding is one of the biggest challenges facing agencies across Canada
3. What ridership recovery looks like now—and why off-peak and weekend travel is rising
4. The “new normal” for demand: Wednesday peaks, lighter Mondays and Fridays
5. The workforce crunch impacting reliability, operations, and service delivery
6. Why electrification matters, but shouldn’t distract from service fundamentals
7. What’s happening with hydrogen pilots and alternative propulsion strategies
8. How microtransit and on-demand service are filling service gaps
9. The growing federal emphasis on aligning transit investment with housing and land use

Featured Guest

Dave Reage

Chair, Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA)

Formerly with Halifax Transit (18 years), including nine years leading the agency

Also Mentioned

1. CUTA (Canadian Urban Transit Association)
2. Halifax, Nova Scotia
3. Montreal / Quebec City
4. Canadian Public Transit Fund
5. Transit-oriented development and housing integration

Host + Producer: Paul Comfort

Executive Producer: Julie Gates

Producer: Chris O'Keeffe

Editor: Patrick Emile

Associate Producer: Cyndi Raskin

Brand Design: Tina Olagundoye

Social Media: Tatyana Mechkarova

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected]

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo, its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent. This production belongs to Modaxo and may contain information subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights. This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Modaxo disclaims all warranties and liability arising from the use of this material.