Are your employees using Brampton Transit to get to work? We want to hear from you!
The Brampton Board of Trade is gathering insights on how Brampton workers commute. If you rely on Brampton Transit to get to work — or if you’re an employer with staff who depend on it — we want to hear from you. Please reach out at vsingh@bramptonbot.com. If you’re concerned about potential declines in transit service levels, we also welcome a brief quote we can include in our advocacy efforts on your behalf.
After years of remarkable growth as one of Canada’s fastest-growing public transit systems, Brampton is now confronting an unexpected and significant downturn. Jonathan English has written about the success story that is Brampton Transit, making the most of relatively few resources. We have demonstrated that we are deserving of higher order transit investment. But with challenges at the farebox as a result of immigration cutbacks, the pressures may be on your property tax bill.
Council recently received a third-quarter operating budget forecast.
The most significant driver is a record 13% year-over-year decline in Brampton Transit , resulting in an estimated $26 million drop in fare revenue, 20% below the budgeted revenue from ridership for 2025. This is a dramatic shift for a system that grew 30% above pre-pandemic ridership levels as recently as 2024.
City staff attribute the decline primarily to the federal government’s cap on international student visas, introduced in May 2024 and implemented in September. The cap—reducing new student visas by 35% compared to 2023—has had an outsized impact on Brampton, a city that has been a major destination for international post-secondary students. Fewer students means fewer transit riders.
Transit is not the only area facing pressure. The City is also reporting a 54% decline in planning revenues—a drop of $7.2 million—driven by slower development activity and broader economic conditions. This represents a combined impact of more than $35 million when transit and planning revenue declines are taken together.
For context a 1% property tax increase in Brampton generates approximately $15 million. The shortfall in planning and transit revenues alone is more than double that.
As per budgetary policy, any year-end deficit will be funded through a reserve called the General Rate Stabilization Reserve. However, with ongoing revenue challenges and inflationary cost pressures, the City has already taken several steps to stabilize its financial position.
Key mitigation actions include:
- Corporate hiring freeze announced October 7, aligning with provincial hiring restrictions.
- Aligning services to current demand levels to improve efficiency.
- Targeted user-fee adjustments, where appropriate, to offset rising costs.
- Reduced contributions to tax-funded capital reserves, creating more operating
What Comes Next?
Recognizing the importance of reliable transit—especially for workers and students—Council has directed staff to report back with options to mitigate ridership declines, stabilize revenue, and protect essential service levels.
The situation raises broader questions for the community:
- How will transit be supported as ridership demographics change?
- How can the City maintain service while managing significant revenue shocks and avoiding property taxes?
- What role should the business community, institutions, and other levels of government play in shaping the path forward?
What is clear is that Brampton, long accustomed to growth, is now navigating a new period of adjustment. The decisions made in the months ahead will shape not only the future of its transit system, but the city’s broader economic and community wellbeing.
