Message from the Executives
FROM THE CEO: TTC Board Highlights
The TTC is grateful to the Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities; the Hon. Caroline Mulroney, Ontario Minister of Transportation and Minister of Francophone Affairs; the Hon. Stan Cho, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Transportation; MP Julie Dzerowicz, for Davenport; MPP Robin Martin, for Eglinton-Lawrence; Councillor Dianne Saxe, for University-Rosedale and Mayor John Tory for the joint investment for the expansion and rehabilitation of Bloor-Yonge Station.
The TTC is modernizing Bloor-Yonge to prepare for population growth and transit expansion in the GTHA. Pre-pandemic, Bloor-Yonge was averaging 220,000 daily riders, making it the TTC’s busiest interchange station. By 2056, Bloor-Yonge Station is projected to have more than 400,000 daily riders. The BYCI project includes construction of a second platform on Line 2 for eastbound service, expansion of Line 1 northbound and southbound platforms, new elevators, escalators and stairs, and construction of a new accessible entrance/exit on Bloor Street East, among other works. The BYCI project is a City-building initiative, vital to enhance station safety, capacity and accessibility. The $1.5-billion project has received funding commitments from the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto. Thank you to all those who helped support the announcement.
TTC Board starts new term
Yesterday (December 8) was the first meeting of the new TTC Board led by Chair Jon Burnside. The first order of business for Commissioners was to re-elect Joanne De Laurentiis as Vice-Chair.
Toronto City Council appointed five new Councillors to the TTC Board on November 24. They are: Jon Burnside, Ward 16 Don Valley East; Paul Ainslie, Ward 24 Scarborough-Guildwood; Stephen Holyday, Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre; Nick Mantas, Ward 22 Scarborough-Agincourt; and Chris Moise, Ward 13 Toronto Centre.
The five elected representatives joined the four current citizen Commissioners to form the nine-member Board: Joanne De Laurentiis, Fenton Jagdeo, Ron Lalonde and Julie Osborne.
Please see below for highlights of Commission decisions approved this week.
Richard J. Leary
Chief Executive Officer
December 9, 2022
TTC Board Highlights
TTC Board Meeting December 8, 2022
TTC Board starts new term
The TTC Board held its first meeting of the term on December 8. New TTC Chair Jon Burnside, Councillor for Ward 16 Don Valley East, leads a nine-member Board joined by City Councillors: Paul Ainslie, Ward 24 Scarborough-Guildwood; Stephen Holyday, Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre; Nick Mantas, Ward 22 Scarborough-Agincourt; and Chris Moise, Ward 13 Toronto Centre. The five elected representatives joined the four current citizen Commissioners: Joanne De Laurentiis, Fenton Jagdeo, Ron Lalonde and Julie Osborne.
Board re-elects Joanne De Laurentiis as Vice-Chair
The Board re-elected Joanne De Laurentiis as its Vice-Chair. De Laurentiis was first elected to the role in 2020 and is serving her second term a Vice-Chair. Citizen Commissioners are appointed by City Council through the City’s Public Appointments process. The TTC Vice-Chair must be a citizen member appointed by a vote of the TTC Board.
TTC Audit and Risk Management Committee appointees
The Board appointed the following three members to the TTC Audit and Risk Management Committee: Ron Lalonde (Chair), Fenton Jagdeo and Julie Osborne.
TTC Human Resources Committee appointees
Chair Burnside appointed Chris Moise to the TTC Human Resources Committee. Chair Burnside and Vice-Chair De Laurentiis sit on the Committee by virtue of their roles.
TTC-Metrolinx PRESTO Joint Advisory Group appointees
The Board appointed the following two members to the TTC-Metrolinx PRESTO Joint Advisory Group: Nick Mantas and Joanne De Laurentiis.
CEO presentation
Board Members received a presentation from CEO Rick Leary, which provided an overview of recent accomplishments, major projects underway and a look ahead at future challenges and opportunities.
While the TTC is at nearly 70 per cent of its weekday pre-pandemic ridership levels, and close to 80 per cent levels on weekends, continuing to regain ridership will remain a priority for the TTC. “We remain fully committed to delivering the safest and best service we can based on our evolving ridership patterns while ensuring nobody gets left behind. We are building back our reliability and improving our on-time performance. We are setting new corporate and long-term service planning goals. And we continue to find ways to grow our capacity for the future with 60 new streetcars on the way, with improvements to Bloor-Yonge Station and with transit-priority initiatives like RapidTO bus lanes.”
New members named to ACAT
The TTC Board named five new members to the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT): Mei Hung, Frank Lockhart, Maria Marin, Lavarnan Mehavarnan and Betty Rivington-Law. They begin their three-year terms on January 1, 2023. A sixth new member, Ron Lackie, was also named to fill a vacancy for a term ending on December 31, 2023.
Members completing their terms at the end of the year are: Lauren Foote, Carmen Galven, Debbie Gillespie (Chair), Sean Hollingsworth and Angela Marley.
ACAT is comprised of Toronto citizens who advise members of the TTC on difficulties faced by people with disabilities and seniors, and recommends the elimination of barriers to accessible public transit.
Delegation of authority exercised during civic election recess
Six new contracts were awarded and five existing contracts were amended to ensure the continuation of TTC operations and the delivery of approved capital projects during the Board recess period. Each contract was valued under the $20-million approved limit and approved by the TTC CEO.
The previous TTC Board approved the delegation of authority during the Board recess to the TTC CEO to ensure critical and time-sensitive TTC operating and capital activities continue to move forward after its July 14 meeting, which was the last meeting of the Board’s term. Delegated authorities remained in effect until the December 8 Commission meeting.
2023 Board meeting schedule
The Board approved the 2023 schedule of meetings at Toronto City Hall as follows (held at 10 a.m. unless otherwise indicated):
Thursday, January 19
Tuesday, February 28
Thursday, April 13
Monday, May 8
Monday, June 12
Wednesday, July 12
Tuesday, September 26
Thursday, October 26
Thursday, December 7
The Board also approved the schedule of meetings for the TTC Audit and Risk Management and Human Resources Committees. Notice of all meetings is provided on ttc.ca.
Board members congratulate long-service recipients
Commissioners recognized and extended best wishes to the following TTC employees who achieved major milestones in 2022:
50 years of service
Barry Allen, Bus Transportation
45 years of service
Richard Phillips, Signals/Electrical/Communication
Aslam Quraishi, Bus Maintenance and Shops
40 years of service
Sandy Tsirlis, Marketing and Customer Experience
Fulvio Fanti, Project Management Office
Rodney McGuigan, Subway Infrastructure
Antonio Spensieri, Signals/Electrical/Communications
Dularie Sarju, Engineering
Amin Juma, Stations
Stephanie Koufes MacMillan, Legal
Stanley Kawnik, Bus Transportation
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