Office of the Chief Executive

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Today (March 8) marks International Women’s Day – an opportunity to celebrate the talented women employees at the TTC, as well as a time to reflect on ways we can continue to build a transit system where women are free from bias, sexism, stereotypes and discrimination.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Break the Bias and focuses on our collective commitment to eliminate bias in our workplaces and communities. Here at the TTC, we’ve made our commitment clear – we will eliminate the gender gap experienced at so many transit organizations by hiring more women into our male-dominated industry.

I’m proud to say that in 2021, we exceeded our goal of ensuring four out of every 10 Operators hired were women, as set out in the TTC’s 10-Point Action Plan on Diversity and Inclusion. This year, we’ve implemented new outreach initiatives and I’m proud to say that six of every 10 Operators hired were women. We also hit another milestone for women at the TTC as we had our first-ever all-women Transit Operator Class graduate in August 2021, as well as our first-ever all-women Streetcar Operator Class last October.

Later this spring, the TTC will launch its first Women in Trades lunch and learn series, which seeks to provide information and first-hand testimonials to women interested in joining the trades sections within the TTC. In partnership with various schools and agencies, this program will encourage open discussion about the day-to-day experiences of women working in sectors that have historically been male-dominated. Stay tuned for more details.

This week, we will be highlighting women from across the TTC to learn about their experiences in breaking the biases in their daily lives and at work. Keep an eye out for these special features in MyTTC | Weekly and on the TVs.

Each year on International Women’s Day, we’re reminded that while many strides have been made towards the equality and inclusion of women, there is still work to be done. Together, we will #BreaktheBias and build a transit system where everyone has opportunities to grow and succeed.

Richard J. Leary
Chief Executive Officer
March 8, 2022