Free public transit should be a thing, but it takes some political will to start thinking about implementing it as a way to reduce personal car ownership and take vehicles off of our roads. Free public transit is far more common in Europe, where admittedly dense cities are the reason it makes sense.
Canada seems slow or hesitant to move in this direction, particularly in car focused Ontario, where Ford wants highways everywhere, including under other highways. Imagine if we funded highways and public transit on the basis of passengers per mile. We would have world-class subways, above-ground rail networks, and buses - and fewer people needing cars. There are examples of where it works, like in the town of Orangeville, which has a pilot program for free transit that just got extended.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/free-transit-orangeville-1.7378695