FROM THE CEO: TTC Board Highlights

This week, the TTC Board met to discuss and approve a number of key reports dealing with our operations, safety and finances.

We know safety remains a concern for many of our customers and employees – this remains a top priority for the TTC as well. The TTC Board received a presentation from our staff as well as our partners from the City. The presentation focused on the progress of community safety and security initiatives. In particular, we will be closely looking at the data in the coming months to better understand the impact of our efforts.

In particular, we are working with our partners to make the TTC as safe as possible and achieve the following objectives:

• Increase community safety and sense of safety throughout the network for customers and employees.

• Provide alternative resources to persons experiencing homelessness and individuals with complex needs who are using TTC spaces for shelter.

• Leverage multidisciplinary, community-focused and data-driven approaches.

TTC Operators thanked for customer service excellence
Commissioners recognized and thanked Streetcar Operators Jeff Matheson and Sajid Maqbool who went above and beyond to ensure two of their customers got home safely during a heavy snowstorm earlier this year. The two riders found themselves in quite an ordeal trying to navigate by wheelchair through heavy snow after taking the TTC to a concert. The Operators’ efforts were representative of the kind of customer service excellence that happens daily on the TTC. Thank you Jeff and Sajid!

Please see below for more highlights of Commission decisions approved on April 13. The next Board meeting takes place on May 8.

Richard J. Leary
Chief Executive Officer
April 14, 2023

TTC Board Highlights
TTC Board Meeting April 13, 2023

Community Safety and Security Update
The TTC Board received a presentation from TTC, Toronto Police and City staff on the progress of community safety and security initiatives on the transit network. Over the past several months, the TTC and its partners have acted on numerous measures to enhance safety practices and policies. The update showed the rate of offences per one million customer boardings dropped to 1.81 in March from 2.72 in January. The rate of offences against employees increased slightly to 8.4 in March from 8.3 in February.

The TTC and its partners continue efforts to make the TTC as safe as possible and achieve the following objectives:

• Increase community safety and sense of safety throughout the network for customers and employees.

• Provide alternative resources to persons experiencing homelessness and individuals with complex needs using TTC spaces for shelter.

• Leverage multidisciplinary, community-focused and data-driven approaches.

TTC Board approves contract for pavement rehab at Mount Dennis Garage
Board members approved the award of a contract worth $10.8 million (inclusive of all taxes) to Maystar General Contractors Inc. for new eBus and employee parking lots pavement rehabilitation at Mount Dennis Division/Garage.

The Mount Dennis Garage Electrification project requires repurposing existing space to allow for electrification infrastructure. A reconfiguration of the lots at Mount Dennis will advance the implementation of electrification infrastructure to support the TTC’s Green Bus program.

As part of the Green Bus Program, Mount Dennis Garage is slated to receive 35 eBuses in 2024 and 42 in 2025. The electrification infrastructure being installed at the garage over the next two years will include provisions for approximately 300 eBuses through to 2035 when Mount Dennis is expected to reach 100-per-cent electrification. The design complies with the City of Toronto Green Standards Tier 1 guidelines that advance broader TTC and City public health and environmental objectives.

TTC Board approves contract for Enterprise Asset Management program
Board members approved the award of a contract worth $7.15 million (inclusive of HST) to SNC-Lavalin Operations and Maintenance Inc. for the provision of expert Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) professional services for a three-year term, with options to extend the contract for up to two additional one-year terms, to be exercised at the TTC’s sole discretion.

The TTC is maturing its EAM program to optimize its life-cycle management of TTC assets to provide higher-quality consolidated enterprise asset management data to inform short- and long-term capital investment planning and decision-making, and to comply with provincial legislation.

Financial and Major Projects Update for the Year Ended December 31, 2022
Commissioners received preliminary 2022 operating and capital financial results and a status update on TTC’s major capital projects. Capital Budget in-year budget adjustments to transfer 2022 available funding from projects that experienced delays to projects, which had accelerated spending in 2022 was also approved.

The Operating and Capital Budgets provide the TTC with the funding means to make progress on achieving the service and capital objectives and their intended outcomes. Some of the achievements in 2022 include:

Operating

• Continued post-pandemic ridership recovery and engaged customers, stakeholders and the general public to understand and address post-pandemic travel patterns.

• Progressed on the Embracing Diversity: 10 Point Action Plan and launch of the first Diversity and Culture Annual Report, which highlighted 50 key accomplishments, including launching the Racial Equity Office and the Fare Inspector and Special Constable Complaint Office.

• Completion of the 5-year Fare Policy and the 10-year Fare Collection Outlook.

• Advancement of Line 5 and Line 6 mobilization activities.

Capital

• Completed and operationalized Automatic Train Control (ATC) on the entirety of Line 1, allowing for an increase in service capacity.

• Acquired 800 Kipling Ave. as the future site for TTC’s 10th bus garage and additional operational uses, consistent with the guiding principles in the TTC’s Real Estate Investment Plan.

• Awarded the contract for the procurement of 336 hybrid buses for delivery by 2024.

• Completed the Stations Transformation construction of the final two Zone Hubs located at St Clair West and Sheppard-Yonge stations.

Looking forward, in an effort to secure new funding sources, Board members also approved the following motion:

• Direct the TTC CEO to report to the June 2023 Board meeting on potential revenues from naming rights and sponsorships to offset operating and capital financial pressures, including:

   -Potential revenue opportunities for naming rights to transit lines, stations, rolling stock and other assets;

   -Additional advertising opportunities for properties, vehicles, online and on print materials;

   -A jurisdictional scan examining naming rights, sponsorships or advertising revenue innovations in other transit agencies in North America or worldwide; and

   -Identify any policy implications or approval requirements, and a work plan to seek new revenue opportunities.

Next meeting of the TTC Board
The next scheduled TTC Board meeting will be on Monday, May 8.

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