For older Canadians, having transportation options that allow them to maintain their independence is key to being able to remain in their own homes, or "age in place." While many continue to drive, public transit - when available - can offer a low-cost, flexible alternative that helps older adults stay active and connected to their communities.
A new research project, a partnership between the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and McGill University's Transportation Research at McGill (TRAM) group, examined how Canada's public transit systems can better meet the needs of older adults.
While each city presents its own challenges, some common findings emerged:
- Older adults benefit most from transit systems with easily accessible stops, reliable travel times, and routes tailored to their needs.
- Housing affordability plays a bigger role than transit access when it comes to choosing where to live.
- Older adults tend to travel during off-peak hours, when services are often less frequent
- Perceptions of transit - whether positive or negative - strongly influence usage, sometimes more than objective accessibility
The research, supported by the NRC's Aging in Place Challenge program, was led by Merrina Zhang, Senior Research Engineer at the NRC's Automotive and Surface Transportation Research Centre. The team conducted detailed surveys in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Halifax, Victoria and Saskatoon to understand older adults' travel habits, satisfaction levels and the barriers they face in using public transit.
"Understanding and improving public transportation for older adults is crucial because it has a direct impact on their quality of life and on their independence," said Zhang. "When we invest in making transit systems more accessible and inclusive, we support the well-being of our aging population and improve our understanding of how transit can be made more efficient to meet a variety of needs."
The findings point to broader opportunities to build age-friendly communities, one of the key goals of the NRC's Aging in Place Challenge program. These efforts aim to adapt public infrastructure and services for Canadians living with frailty, cognitive decline or other age-related challenges - allowing more people to live independently for longer.
"Recognizing what makes public transportation hard to use can lead to new ideas that help everyone, especially older adults," said Patricia Debergue, Director of the Aging in Place Challenge program. "When older adults can use public transit safely and easily to get around their communities, they can keep contributing to society, which benefits everyone."
Professor Ahmed El-Geneidy, director of TRAM, said working in partnership with the NRC has been valuable in ensuring that the findings of the research project "are practice-ready and grounded in reality.
"Working with the NRC has enabled us to use their extensive networks to connect with transit agencies, knowledge-users and experts-by-experience, bringing their needs to the centre of our research design," El-Geneidy said.
The research was supported through the NRC's Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program.
