Navigating municipal dynamics: unraveling the political threads in Canadian transport decarbonization policies

Transportation is one of the most emissions-intensive sectors and crucial in the fight against climate change. Reducing emissions requires understanding the factors influencing sustainable transportation. While prior research has examined political identity's role in shaping preferences for low-carbon transport, broader voting patterns remain underexplored. This study analyzes municipal climate actions alongside 2021 Canadian federal election results to assess four policy levers designed to shift transportation behaviours. Four key findings emerge: 1) left-leaning and larger municipalities favor voluntary actions to support fuel and modal shifts; 2) levers involving price signals or mandates are less frequently implemented across political ideologies and population sizes; 3) policies targeting fuel and modal shifts correlate positively with population size; and 4) the political spectrum is associated with modal shift policies but not fuel shift policies. These insights highlight the impact of political inclination and population size on adopting sustainable transportation policies. Municipal regulators should consider these factors in their planning efforts. The findings also suggest that strategies involving price signals or mandates may face resistance, highlighting the need for a more nuanced approach. Future research should investigate why these strategies are unpopular and explore ways to broaden the toolkit available to transportation planners.