CEO's Report: April Commentary

In March, the TTC, in collaboration with the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) and the WTS Toronto Area Chapter, held a special event on Women in Transit, with a focus on empowering women and female-identifying employees and encouraging their professional development.

The inaugural event at our Hillcrest Complex was designed to fuel our talented workforce’s career growth and personal development. Panellists included Kirsten Watson, President – WTS Toronto Area Chapter, Shabnum Durrani, Acting President of COMTO, and Streetcar Transportation Head Deb Lyon discussing topics that included Building Trust and Relationships and Career Development and Mentorship. TTC Chief People Officer Shakira Naraine helped to moderate the proceedings with assistance from the TTC’s Sarah Currie, Policy Development Manager, and Hayley Waldman, Senior Communications Specialist. Participants gained valuable insights into career planning, professional growth, and the pivotal role mentorship plays in propelling careers forward.

The event was extremely well-received and encore engagements will be scheduled in the near future.

WTS International has championed the advancement of women in the transportation industry through professional development sessions, mentorship opportunities, and tailored programming. The organization has more than 8,000 members and 67 professional chapters, including two in Ontario. The TTC continues its work to provide career development and mentorship opportunities for women at the TTC. As a prime example, the TTC's Female Operator Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program has close to 100 mentors who guide female probationary Operators in all modes to support their success.

For the week ending March 16, overall weekday boardings stood at 78 per cent of pre-COVID levels, a six-per-cent decline from levels observed in fall 2023. The decline was due to a reduction in student demand as elementary and secondary schools were closed for March Break. Weekday boardings by mode continue to be highest on the bus network at 87 per cent of pre-COVID levels, while streetcar and subway boardings were, respectively, at 70 per cent and 71 per cent. Demand is expected to restore to fall 2023 levels for the next two weeks before reducing again as post-secondary schools transition into exam weeks.

Diversity and Culture Group

2023 Diversity and Culture Annual Report
​At this month’s Board meeting, Commissioners will be receiving the TTC’s third Diversity and Culture Annual Report. Titled, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA): Progress Through Systemic Change, this report highlights the progress the TTC has made over the past year while at the same time giving us an idea of the areas that need more work.

As an organization, we are proud to touch the lives of so many people. With Toronto being one of the most diverse cities in the world, we need everyone to feel welcomed on our system. Each and every one of our customers must be treated with respect on the TTC – whether it is riding one of our vehicles, waiting at our stations or asking one of our employees a question.

The TTC is the lifeblood of Toronto and we take great pride in serving this great city. I know we have made critical strides this past year and we are ready to continue on our inclusion journey. As an organization, we are committed to improving and creating a more welcoming and inclusive TTC.

Strategy and Customer Experience Group

TTC launches enhanced fare compliance campaign
​Late last month, the TTC rolled out a new awareness campaign reminding customers about paying their fare. Fare revenue and fare compliance are critical for sustaining reliable public transit. The TTC is committed to maximizing its fare revenue through ridership recovery and fare compliance.

The TTC is not alone – many transit authorities are experiencing high fare evasion rates. Fare evasion impacts revenue streams, undermines our system's integrity, and compromises customer experience. Not paying is theft, and it deprives the system of much-needed revenue.

Employees at all levels are confronting this challenge head-on and exploring effective strategies to combat fare evasion. Given the importance of ensuring our services remain sustainable and accessible to all, we must maintain a fair and equitable fare collection system that upholds the principles of accountability and transparency.

From increased fare inspections to deploying PRESTO systems, we are committed to finding comprehensive solutions that balance enforcement and customer experience. We are concerned about the increase in fare evasion. We are increasing enforcement and will be ticketing more often so people get the message.

Even with a significant City of Toronto operating subsidy, the TTC relies heavily on fares to fund safe, reliable service for hundreds of millions of customers annually.

Metrolinx construction underway at Pape Station
​Part of Metrolinx's work on the future Ontario Line is building a new underground station connecting to Line 2 Bloor-Danforth at Pape Station. This major work has resulted in TTC bus service changes that are now underway at Pape.

With the partial closure of the eastern bus bay at the station, a number of bus routes are serving customers on Pape Avenue in front of the main entrance or from new temporary bays on Lipton Avenue. Construction work is scheduled to continue until October. While access to the station will be maintained, subway service at Pape may be disrupted intermittently. For complete details, please visit ttc.ca.

Innovation and Sustainability Program

Celebrating Earth Day in April
​The TTC proudly celebrates Earth Day on Monday, April 22. Earth Day reminds us about public transit’s important role in the fight against climate change. Taking the TTC means choosing an environmentally sustainable, affordable, and accessible way to get around the city.

The TTC pledges to continue to do all we can to fight climate change. Our Environmental Sustainability Policy commits us to decarbonize our facilities, increase biodiversity on the land we care for, and reduce our consumption and waste.

The TTC's Green Bus Program, subject to full funding, targets a revenue fleet entirely free of fossil fuels by 2040. As a climate action, this program would mean a reduction in tailpipe fleet emissions by more than 97 per cent.

Safety and Environment Group

National Day of Mourning
​The TTC will lower its flags half-mast on National Day of Mourning, April 28, as a tribute to those in our workforce who lost their life or who have suffered a serious injury or illness.

Our most important job at the TTC is ensuring the safety and security of our employees, customers, and communities. On National Day of Mourning, we encourage our employees to remember their colleagues and take a moment to reflect on the importance of safety at the TTC.

I thank the hundreds of dedicated employees serving on more than 50 of our joint management/union Health and Safety Committees. These committees promote co-operation and collaboration, allowing workers and managers to participate equally in resolving health and safety matters continually.

Removing barriers to safety helps to ensure that everyone returns home in the same condition that they arrived at work.

The Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support, known as Threads of Life, is a Canadian registered charity dedicated to supporting the healing journey of families who have suffered from a workplace fatality, traumatic life-altering injury, or occupational disease. Threads of Life currently supports more than 3,600 family members across Canada with support programs and services.

The association co-ordinates Steps for Life events that raise money for these programs and aims to educate the community about the devastating ripple effects of each workplace tragedy and how we can work together to prevent others from being injured or killed on the job.

On April 28, Threads of Life is hosting its annual five kilometre walk, Steps for Life, at Coronation Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A team from the TTC will be participating and all employees, their families and friends are encouraged to join in the walk and other activities.

Finally, I would like to wish Canada's First Subway a very special happy birthday. On March 30, the original Yonge Subway marked its 70th anniversary since its official opening on that date in 1954.

The Yonge line stretched 7.4 kilometres from Eglinton to Union, and included 12 stations: Eglinton, Davisville, St Clair, Summerhill, Rosedale, Bloor, Wellesley, College, Dundas, Queen, King and Union.

The Yonge Subway was Canada's first subway line, and the first post-war subway to be built in North America. Its construction began in 1949. The Yonge line was built at a cost of $67 million – including the TTC's shiny new Red Gloucester trains from England.

Following this month, the next meeting of the TTC Board is set for Thursday, May 16, and will be live-streamed on the Official TTC YouTube Channel.

Richard J. Leary
​Chief Executive Officer
​April 2024