Toronto and Vancouver named Canada's best cities for public transportation

Commuters run towards a TTC stop at Bathurst and King Street West in Toronto on November 13, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Toronto has been named the best city for public transportation in Canada for 2019.

In a new index for transit in Canada, Toronto's TTC subway system and GO train helped the city top the charts followed by Vancouver and Montreal.

The report was released by Redfin, a tech-powered real estate brokerage firm and Walk Score, which measures the pedestrian-friendliness of cities.

Transit scores were calculated based on convenience and frequency of service.

With a score of 78, Toronto holds a higher score than several large US cities including Boston, Washington DC and Philadelphia.

Analysts credited public transit officials for expansion projects that aim to take more cars off the road and create a more efficient system.

"Significant growth requires major transit infrastructure, and the city has recognized that and is investing in transit. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates in the city, and plans to expand the light rail and subway service. GO train, our commuter rail system, is also undergoing a significant expansion, to make it even more accessible to those living farther out," said Blair Anderson, Redfin market manager in Toronto.

"Some people moan and complain about public transit, but Toronto's system is one of the better transit systems in the world. It's highly ranked, runs well on a timely basis, and doesn't have many problems. And without it, the city would shut down."

Here are the top Canadian cities for public transit:

1. Toronto

2. Vancouver

3. Montreal

4. Mississauga

5. Brampton

6. Winnipeg

7. Calgary

8. Ottawa

9. Edmonton

10. Markham

11. Quebec

12. Surrey

13. Laval

14. Hamilton

15. London