CEO's Report: December Commentary

As we near the end of 2022 and the holiday season quickly approaches, it is always great to take a moment and reflect on the year that was.

This year, I was once again reminded of the generosity of TTC employees. Many of the TTC’s volunteer groups are sharing the yuletide spirit across the city with holiday food, clothes and toy drives to help local community organizations. Employees and customers are encouraged to join in and help those in need. These efforts include a food drive for veterans, a coat drive for those in need and Stuff-the-Bus initiatives for Sick Kids and several other community groups. Thank you to all employees and community partners involved in co-ordinating these events.

In 2022, the TTC closed out its 100-year anniversary – an important milestone for any organization. This year, the TTC also reached another landmark by surpassing 33 billion riders on the system since 1921. This was particularly meaningful given the impact that COVID-19 has had on our ridership over the past two-and-a-half years. Throughout the pandemic, we continued to carry hundreds of thousands of customers daily, and we are witnessing more returning every day.

As of the week ending November 18, boardings by mode continue to be highest on the bus network at 76 per cent of pre-COVID levels while streetcar and subway boardings were at 59 per cent and 64 per cent, respectively. Wheel-Trans ridership was at about 64 per cent of pre-COVID. Overall weekday ridership stands at 68 per cent of pre-COVID levels.

As we prepare for 2023, we are renewing our focus on providing the best possible service for our customers. For us, this means ensuring our customers can rely on us to provide transit as advertised – and that we let people know in a timely fashion if this is not the case. We are undertaking a number of initiatives to improve communications and information sharing among our operating, training and planning departments. With this improved communications, we are looking to better address issues as they arise. We look forward to sharing these initiatives with you in the coming months.

These achievements, and many more listed below, are a real testament to the dedication of our workforce. None of this would have been possible without the nearly 16,000 employees who worked tirelessly to get our customers to and from their destinations safely. Thank you for all you do to make the TTC a great transit system.

Diversity and Culture Group

Be Essential – new hires at the TTC
Earlier this year, the TTC launched its Be Essential recruitment campaign. The campaign speaks to the important role the TTC plays in the lives of our customers who trust us to help them get around Toronto. Whether it is to get to work, to appointments or to the go to the grocery store – millions of people rely on the TTC on a daily basis. By the end of 2022, the TTC will have hired roughly 900 new operators.

Two years ago, the TTC adopted a 10-Point Action Plan on Diversity and Inclusion. One of the main objectives of this plan was to ensure that four out of every 10 new operators hired at the TTC identified as a woman. To achieve this goal, we have implemented new outreach initiatives and I am proud to say that since the 10-Point Plan was introduced, we have achieved this goal.

To us, this number is more than just a target. It speaks to the kind of organization we want the TTC to be – one where women feel empowered and encouraged to pursue their career goals.

This year, the TTC released it first Diversity and Culture Annual Report, A Year of Firsts. The Report was the first of its kind for the organization and reaffirms the TTC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by highlighting 50 key accomplishments, such as launching the Racial Equity Office as part of the newly created Diversity Department, and the Fare Inspector and Special Constable Complaint Office as part of the Human Rights and Investigations Department.

For the second year in a row, the TTC had customer campaigns for Black History Month and Indigenous History Month. This was the first year where the TTC also had a customer campaign to celebrate Lunar New Year. Internally, along with recognizing Black History Month, Indigenous Heritage Month and Lunar New Year, the TTC also recognized Asian Heritage Month and Latin American Heritage Month.

In June, the TTC’s Indigenous employees shared the beauty of their culture by holding a Pow Wow at Mount Dennis Division for the first time. The TTC was awarded the Canadian Urban Transit Association’s inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.

Strategy and Customer Experience Group

Free rides on New Year’s Eve
With the pandemic having postponed free New Year’s Eve service these past two years, our friends at Corby Spirit and Wine are back to sponsor free TTC rides this New Year’s Eve. Transit in Toronto will be free of charge starting at 7 p.m. on December 31 until 8 a.m. on New Year’s Day, January 1. This will be the eighth time Corby Spirit and Wine has sponsored free rides to encourage revellers to celebrate the holidays responsibly and leave the driving to the TTC.

TTC remains committed to accessibility
This past May, the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT) celebrated its 30th anniversary. ACAT was established in 1992 to provide advice and recommendations on matters pertaining to accessible public transit in Toronto.

Over the years, ACAT has provided guidance on a number of accessibility initiatives at the TTC, including ramps on buses and streetcars, wide-aisle fare gates at stations as well as priority seating on vehicles.

The TTC is proud of its ongoing partnership with ACAT as we continue to work towards a barrier-free transit system.

This month, Lansdowne Station is poised to become the TTC’s 56th accessible station. Earlier this year, the TTC launched a trial at York Mills Station of several new features, including red tactile wayfinding guidance tiles leading to the front door of all of the bus stops as well as stop poles, which have tactile and braille route information. Information from this trial will help the TTC’s enhancements across the entire system.

Operations and Infrastructure Group

TTC achieves key modernization updates
In late November, the TTC achieved a major milestone in its modernization efforts. One-Person Train Operation (OPTO) became fully functional on the entirety of Line 1 Yonge-University. OPTO was already in use from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre to St George stations on a daily basis since November 2021 and has been in use on Line 4 since 2016. OPTO allows the train Operator to safely drive the train and operate the doors while monitoring screens from inside the front cab.

This piece of work was completed less than two months after Automatic Train Control (ATC) signalling became operational along the entire length of Line 1. With ATC, train location can be monitored more accurately, allowing more trains to operate closer together. This means more frequent and reliable service for customers, and fewer signal-related delays.

Engineering, Construction and Expansion Group

EC&E Group achieves COR certification

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly congratulate the TTC’s Engineering, Construction and Expansion Group for recently attaining a top industry health and safety certificate. The Certificate of Recognition (COR™) is nationally trademarked and endorsed by the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations (CFCSA). In Ontario, it is administered by the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA).

The IHSA recently completed an audit of the EC&E Group’s Health and Safety Program and determined that all COR 2015 Audit Tool requirements had been met. EC&E now has the distinction of being the first government sector buyer of construction entity to achieve COR certification.

The IHSA recently completed an audit of the EC&E Group’s Health and Safety Program and determined that all COR 2015 Audit Tool requirements had been met. EC&E now has the distinction of being the first government sector buyer of construction entity to achieve COR certification.

EC&E’s Health and Safety Program was introduced to 700 staff members, and is a massive step forward in improving workplace safety and systematic safety management. The group has already seen the benefits of the new safety program by focusing on preventative safety activities, improved safety messaging, experiencing a reduced number and severity of incidents, enhanced interface with contractors, and more health and safety awareness overall.

EC&E’s Health and Safety Program was introduced to 700 staff members, and is a massive step forward in improving workplace safety and systematic safety management. The group has already seen the benefits of the new safety program by focusing on preventative safety activities, improved safety messaging, experiencing a reduced number and severity of incidents, enhanced interface with contractors, and more health and safety awareness overall.

Transportation and Vehicles Group

On-time performance improvements
The TTC is undertaking a number of new and enhanced initiatives to improve communications and information sharing among our operating, training and planning departments. The goal of these cross-departmental initiatives is to improve the on-time performance of our services and ultimately deliver the best customer experience we can offer to our riders.

Some of the initiatives now underway involve closer collaboration between the Operations Training Centre and Transit Control Centre regarding site tours for new Operators; a redeployment of on-street, uniformed Supervisors to a number of key bus routes in a push to improve on-time departures and arrivals punctuality; and closer communications between Service Planners and frontline Supervisors.

The December CEO’s Report provides more details on activities across our transportation modes.

TTC’s green successes
In April, the TTC’s McNicoll Division/Garage was awarded the Ontario General Contractors Association’s Builders Award. The operating and maintenance complex was designed and built to exceed Toronto Green Standards, which promotes sustainable building design.

In August, the TTC and PowerON Energy Solutions LP, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, signed an agreement for the co-investment, ownership, delivery, maintenance and operations of electrification infrastructure needed to transition the TTC’s fleet and facilities to zero-emissions. The TTC also won the Environmental Sustainability Award from CUTA.

Safety and Environment Group

December 17 is Transit Worker Assault Awareness Day
The TTC and the City are recognizing Transit Worker Assault Awareness Day once again this month. Last year, Mayor John Tory declared December 17 as Transit Worker Assault Awareness Day to bring attention to the abuse and assault transit workers face every day on the job.

The TTC has taken numerous steps to help protect and support our frontline workforce, such as introducing a customer-facing campaign focused on respecting TTC employees, and delivering a comprehensive one-day training program focusing on de-escalation strategies, communication skills, customer service and more.

The TTC takes all instances of physical abuse, harassment and threats seriously. We will continue to work with police and the courts to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law. Making sure that our employees go home safely at the end of every work shift is our top priority.

In closing
As 2022 quickly draws to a close, I would like to express my gratitude to our previous and new Board, Mayor John Tory, City Council and our provincial and federal partners for their continued support as we work to modernize our great transit system and advance our mission of providing reliable, efficient, integrated and accessible public transit services to the citizens of Toronto and beyond.

Wishing all a joyous and peaceful holiday season and good health and happiness.

The first meeting of the new TTC Board is scheduled for Thursday, December 8 and will be live-streamed on the Official TTC YouTube Channel, starting at 10 a.m.

Richard J. Leary
Chief Executive Officer
December 2022