FROM THE CEO: TTC Board Highlights

It was with great pride that I introduced several long-serving employees to Commissioners at the TTC Board meeting on Tuesday. All were thanked and applauded for their continued contributions to the TTC’s growth and success.

On behalf of the Executive Team and senior management, congratulations again to Dainora Gadisauskas (50 years), Renata Kuzma (40 years) and Diego Spano (40 years). Appreciation was also extended to Frank Cinerari (45 years), Luciano D’Agostino (40 years) and Francesco Noto (40 years), who could not attend in person.

Commissioners made several key decisions this week. Among them was adopting a seasonal ban on lithium-ion-powered micromobility devices, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, onboard TTC vehicles as well as inside stations and facilities, effective immediately. Enforcement will be phased in, beginning with posting signs alerting customers of the ban in the next couple of weeks.

Commissioners also endorsed the full roll-out of body-worn cameras for Special Constables and Fare Inspectors, scheduled for Q1 2025. Already, some teams of Fare Inspectors in plain clothes and equipped with cameras are patrolling the system and issuing tickets as part of our ongoing fare evasion strategy.

The Board also appointed five new ACAT members, approved the TTC 5-Year Accessibility Plan, and received the current Easier Access III Program Schedule, all coincidentally on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Please see below for highlights of Commission decisions approved on December 3.

Not too late to donate!
​Today is the last day to donate to TTC’s United Way Campaign. Before the campaign officially wraps up, consider donating to help us reach our $700,000 fundraising goal.

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Thank you to all employees and community partners involved in co-ordinating these events.

Greg Percy
​Chief Executive Officer
​December 6, 2024

TTC Board Highlights
​TTC Board Meeting December 3, 2024

TTC 5-Year Accessibility Plan and Wheel-Trans Transformation Program (WTTP) Update
​The TTC Board received the Wheel-Trans Transformation Program Update and approved the 2024-2028 TTC 5-Year Accessibility Plan.

The new 5-Year Accessibility Plan supports the TTC’s Corporate Plan and will guide system-wide accessibility improvements over the next five years, benefitting millions of TTC customers annually. It contains 46 initiatives developed in consultation with ACAT to further improve and expand the accessibility and availability of TTC services and facilities over the next five years. Major planned initiatives include:

• Completing installation of new elevators and related accessibility components at 12 subway stations to provide a barrier-free path.

• Continuing to construct new third-party accessible station entrances.

• Overhauling elevators and escalators at various stations to improve service reliability.

• Continuing to retrofit subway platforms to mitigate platform gap issues at affected stations.

• Revising and improving TTC accessible design standards.

• Working with the City of Toronto to improve accessibility at TTC bus and streetcar stops, including upgrades to more than 750 additional transit stops by 2028 to meet accessibility requirements, pending ongoing funding commitments.

• Completing the 2017-2026 WTTP by expanding Family of Services to 95 routes and 600 vehicle transfer stops by the end of 2025.

The WTTP was established in 2016 with the goal to implement the City of Toronto Auditor General recommendations. The WTTP is in its eighth year of implementation and set to be completed in 2027. The program includes nine initiatives, and combined with other programs, such as the Easier Access Program and the Green Fleet Plan, they provide financial and environmental benefits to ensure that Wheel-Trans service remains a viable and sustainable option.

Commissioners also passed the following motions:

• That staff explore and report back not later than September 2025 on opportunities to maximize the effectiveness of TTC investments in providing accessible transportation services to customers with disabilities, and that an analysis inform such opportunities of approaches other transit authorities may be employing to meet the increasing demand and associated costs of paratransit services.

• That TTC staff explore and report back with an equity analysis of the impacts of Family of Services trips on Wheel-Trans users. That TTC staff request the Province of Ontario provide funding for increased Wheel-Trans service.

Easier Access Phase III – Project Status Update December 2024
​The TTC Board received the current Easier Access Phase III Program Schedule, noting the acceleration efforts presently underway, and that staff continue to seek opportunities for schedule improvements.

Since the last update to the Board in April 2024, the following progress has been made to advance the program:

• Elevators were put into service at Donlands, Glencairn, and Castle Frank stations resulting in 57 of 70 (81%) of stations being accessible.

• Construction continues to progress at 12 stations.

• City Council approval for Stage 2 expropriation of property requirements at Old Mill Station was obtained in May 2024, allowing to proceed with obtaining the required property rights by the end of 2024.

TTC staff continue to monitor progress across the program and work collaboratively with the Contractors to address the schedule impacts and ensure all possible actions are taken to mitigate potential delays. Of the 13 remaining stations to become accessible:

• Six stations are scheduled to be completed in 2025: High Park, Rosedale, Greenwood, Christie, Summerhill, and Warden, at which time a total of 63 of 70 (90%) stations will be accessible.

• Six stations: College, Museum, Lawrence, Spadina, King, and Islington are due to be completed within 2026, bringing the total number of accessible stations to 69 of 70 (99%).

• The Old Mill Station Contract was issued for bid in October 2024 and is expected to begin construction in 2025. The EIS date for Old Mill Station will be established once the bids have closed and a risk assessment is incorporated into the schedule.

Seasonal Prohibition on Lithium-Ion, Battery-Powered E-Bikes and E-Scooters
​The TTC Board discussed a report that provided an update on the TTC’s electric bicycle (e-bike) and electric scooter (e-scooter) policies and approved the prohibition of lithium-ion-powered micromobility devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters, onboard TTC vehicles and inside TTC stations and facilities from November 15 to April 15 each year. The report will be forwarded to Transport Canada and the City of Toronto for information.

Commissioners also received the Supplemental Report: Equity Analysis for Seasonal Prohibition on Lithium-Ion Battery Powered E-Bikes and E-Scooters for information, and adopted the following:

1. Approve the prohibition of lithium-ion-powered micromobility devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters, onboard TTC vehicles and inside TTC stations and facilities from November 15 to April 15 each year.

2. Request that the City of Toronto and the Toronto Parking Authority

   a. Work with TTC Staff, food delivery companies (including Uber, Doordash, Skip, etc.) and labour unions (such as Gig Workers United) to study the feasibility of providing more secure e-bike storage and battery charging and exchange facilities near transit stations; and

   b. Develop an E-Bikes in Indoor Public Spaces Policy by March 2025.

3. Request that the City of Toronto and the Toronto Parking Authority work with food delivery companies to provide e-bike and battery storage, exchange, charging, and transport solutions to support their workers’ needs, including requiring verification of e-bike and battery certification for workers to use their delivery platform.

4. Request that TTC staff to work with Toronto Fire, the City of Toronto, labour associations (such as Gig Workers United) and food delivery companies (including Uber, Doordash, Skip, etc.) to develop a communications campaign to inform e-bike users of the TTC’s e-bike policies.

5. Request that TTC staff to continue to work with Toronto Fire to monitor the evolution of lithium-ion batteries technology and safety considerations in order to assess future compatibility with public transit.

6. Direct TTC staff to communicate with the Ministry of Transportation and Transport Canada to advocate for developing and implementing safety regulations for e-bikes and the lithium-ion batteries they use.

Full Roll-out of Body-Worn Cameras for Special Constables and Fare Inspectors
​Board members received for information a report endorsing the full roll-out of body-worn cameras for Special Constables and Fare Inspectors. Full roll-out is scheduled for Q1 2025.

At its meeting on April 11, 2024, the TTC Board approved the Body-Worn Camera and Special Constable In-Car Camera Policy and the initiation of a nine-month Body-Worn Camera pilot for Special Constables and Fare Inspectors. The pilot launched in May 2024, and is expected to conclude in December 2024.

The results of the pilot have demonstrated that body-worn cameras provide significant benefits for Special Constables, Fare Inspectors, and the public. Given the positive outcomes of the pilot, the TTC will be proceeding with full deployment of body-worn cameras for all Special Constables and Fare Inspectors.

As a next step, the Revenue Protection Department will be initiating a plain clothes deployment on streetcar pilot following the December Board meeting. This strategy aims to satisfy the Auditor General’s recommendation to increase the use of plain clothes Fare Inspectors to strengthen the effectiveness of the inspection program. The pilot team will wear body-worn cameras. The cameras will remain visible, and a notification will be given when streetcar inspections commence. Results of the plain clothes pilot will be reported to the Board in Q2 2025.

Work Car Hydraulic Leak Incidents Update
​Commissioners received an update report on the work car hydraulic leak incidents between January and May 2024. The report summarizes the findings, recommendations, management action plans, and their owner and target completion dates. All priority management actions have been completed or will be by the end 2024.

The full and final reports from third parties, Hatch and APTA, were submitted to the TTC in November and were included with the Board report. Both reports identified common root causes, and while they found that the TTC’s practices are typical of the industry, they recommend implementing a more robust preventative maintenance program of procedures, training, and quality control modeled after what the TTC has in place for revenue service vehicles.

Both reports conclude there was no evidence that the subject hydraulic leaks were intentional or the result of sabotage. The TTC has accepted all recommendations provided by both Hatch and APTA. Staff will track implementation and provide an update to the Board upon closure of all recommendations from Hatch and APTA. The Audit, Risk, and Compliance Department will validate the completion of recommendations before the closeout report to the Board.

TTC staff will include a funding request in its 2025 Operating Budget submission to establish a more robust work car preventative maintenance program.

Notice of Motion: Retirement of Legacy Fare Media
​Commissioners adopted the following motion moved by TTC Chair Jamaal Myers: That the TTC defer the stop acceptance of TTC tickets, tokens and day passes until June 1, 2025 for conventional transit users and December 31, 2025 for Wheel-Trans riders on the Wheel-Trans service as a promotional fare; that TTC staff prepare a communications plan to inform customers about the June 1, 2025 retirement of legacy fare media and monitor and report on legacy fare media acceptance rates through the CEO’s Report over the course of 2025; and that TTC staff to continue the closure of crash gates, as directed.

The retirement of legacy fare media forms (TTC tickets, tokens and passes) is supported by:

• Lines 5 and 6 – both are reliant on fare payment before boarding and have limited TTC ticket, token and day pass acceptance capabilities.

• The 2012 PRESTO Agreement requirements.

• The Auditor General’s 2019 Recommendations on Fare Compliance, which recommended that the TTC develop strategies to reduce fare evasion rates.

Summary of feedback – Chief Executive Officer Search
​Commissioners received a third-party presentation summarizing the public and employee feedback gathered on the search for a new TTC Chief Executive Officer. A total of 2,222 survey responses were received. Feedback was also gathered through more than 37 one-on-one consultations with TTC Board members, Leadership team and key stakeholders.

New members named to ACAT
​The TTC Board named five new members to the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT): Craig Nicol, Jason Osborne, Karen Mootoo, Lauri Sue Robertson, and Sophie Petrillo. They begin their three-year terms on January 1, 2025.

Members completing their terms at the end of the year are: Anita Dressler, Bobbi Moore, Erica Tanny, and Wangari Muriuki.

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.

Board members congratulate long-service recipients
​Commissioners recognized and extended best wishes to the following TTC employees who achieved major milestones in 2024:

50 years of service
​Dainora Gadisauskas, Marketing and Customer Experience

45 years of service
​Frank Cinerari, Operations Support

40 years of service
​Renata Kuzma, Streetcar Maintenance
​Diego Spano, Bus Maintenance and Shops
​Luciano D’Agostino, Plant Maintenance
​Francesco Noto, Bus Maintenance and Shops

Next meeting of the TTC Board
​The next regular scheduled TTC Board Meeting will be on Monday, January 27, 2025.

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