FROM THE CEO: TTC Board Highlights

Yesterday, one of our bus Operators and several customers were involved in a serious accident. I share all of your concern for the well-being of our colleague, and we wish everyone a fast and full recovery.

This incident is a sad reminder of the challenges faced by transit employees every day, and understandably can be upsetting. If you need support, please remember that the TTC’s Employee Family and Assistance Program (EFAP), is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-572-0039 or online at one.telushealth.com.

Ready for a busy November in Toronto
​With Taylor Swift coming to town this month, along with the CUTA Conference and other overlapping events at Scotiabank Arena and in the downtown core, preparations have been underway to make sure we are ready to make all concert-goers’ and visitors’ travel experiences as smooth and swift as possible. This week, we shared our plan to enhance service, safety and security during these peak periods in November.

We will have extra service on key routes before, during and after the show times on November 14 to 16 and November 21 to 23, with special attention on the post-show surge. On concert nights, Line 1 trains will run about every three minutes and trains on Line 2 will run every four minutes. We will also have dedicated Wheel-Trans buses staged at key locations in the downtown core for rapid response to anyone needing immediate access to the service during an unplanned closure.

Additional TTC uniformed staff and first responders will be strategically located throughout subway stations in the downtown core. We will also see staff at key street-level locations to assist customers with directions and alternate routing as well as monitor station crowding.

Thank you to the countless staff who have been involved in these preparations.

Another successful year for Halloween Fest at Bay Lower
​Our Halloween Fest at Bay Lower last weekend was spectacular and attracted over 10,000 visitors of all ages to raise funds for United Way Greater Toronto. Thank you to everyone involved, including over 250 TTC volunteers!

TTC Board meeting highlights
​One of my great privileges as CEO is meeting and celebrating TTC employees who go above and beyond in their roles – like Wilson Division Operator Marc Torres. Marc received a well-deserved round of applause at this week’s Board meeting for his heroic efforts in pulling an occupant out of a burning vehicle.

In October, Marc was operating his 307 Bathurst night bus when a speeding car hit his bus and burst into flames. At great risk to himself, he instinctively rushed to pull one of the occupants out of the burning vehicle. Marc also received praise from Interim Toronto Fire Chief Larry Cocco who attended the meeting.

At the meeting, Board members also approved our recommendation to use transport buses for people experiencing homelessness more sustainably through the winter season, while we continue our multidisciplinary approach to community safety, incident management, and social supports for individuals in need. More details will be shared with frontline staff in the weeks to come.

Please see below for highlights of Commission decisions approved on October 29.

Greg Percy
​Interim Chief Executive Officer
​November 1, 2024

TTC Board Highlights
​TTC Board Meeting October 29, 2024

Board members commend TTC Bus Operator
​Board members applauded bus Operator Marc Torres for his quick actions in pulling an occupant from a burning vehicle. Early on the morning of October 9, Torres was operating his 307 Bathurst night bus in the area of Eglinton Avenue West when a speeding car collided with his bus, causing it to hit another TTC bus. The car then burst into flames. Torres instinctively jumped into action and pulled one of the occupants from the vehicle on fire. His quick thinking and selfless actions were nothing short of heroic.

Chief Executive Officer Mandate
​The TTC Board received an in-camera update with respect to the mandate of the Chief Executive Officer. The report transmits the CEO Objectives, considered by the Human Resources Committee at its meeting on October 24, to the TTC Board for its consideration. The Human Resources Committee is responsible for establishing performance objectives for the CEO. This component of the Committee mandate is achieved, in part, by reviewing and recommending objectives for the CEO, in consultation with TTC Board members and the CEO.

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 in response to a Board motion requesting a review of regulations implemented in comparable jurisdictions, and passed the following motion by TTC Chair Jamaal Myers:

• The TTC Board refer this report to the TTC’s Racial Equity Office and direct staff to complete an equity impact review for consideration by the TTC Board at its next meeting. Such review should assess the potential impacts that a ban of lithium-ion-powered micromobility devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters, may have on equity-deserving groups and gig workers, with recommendations for impact mitigation developed in consultation with TTC Safety staff and Toronto Fire Services.

TTC staff had recommended the seasonal prohibition take place from November 15, 2024 to April 15, 2025.

Future of the Transport Bus Initiative – Winter 2024/2025
​Board members approved a report on the future of the transport bus initiative, with the following recommendations:

• Approve the use of buses for transport only when the temperature reaches -15 Celsius and not as a warming solution for individuals using the transit system for shelter during the 2024/2025 winter season.

• Request the City of Toronto Shelter and Support Services to continue to actively search for additional warming centre opportunities to reduce dependence on the TTC transit network for shelter during the 2024/2025 winter season.

Commissioners also passed the following motion:

• The TTC Board direct the TTC to recover costs from the City of Toronto for special buses provided for people waiting or provided for direct transport of people to shelters.

Several challenges were noted in the report and the use of buses as a warming solution was found to be unsustainable on an ongoing basis.

As part of the TTC’s Community Safety, Security and Well-being program, the TTC operated the transport bus initiative from November 15, 2023, to April 15, 2024 in response to the ongoing use of the transit network by persons experiencing homelessness. It was intended to be a short-term solution, providing transport from Union and Spadina stations to warming centres and shelters, and offering a warm space so persons experiencing homelessness would not remain in the stations. However, given a lack of space and flow in the shelter system, the initiative resulted in providing warming space on the buses. While the TTC provided transport and a temporary warming location on 5,914 occasions, only 98 individuals were transported to warming centres during the 2023/2024 winter season.

In consultation with the City of Toronto, it has been determined that TTC buses will only be used to transport individuals to available warming centres and shelters when the temperature reaches -15 Celsius. Operational details of this approach will be captured in the TTC’s upcoming winter planning. The TTC will continue its multidisciplinary approach to community safety through ongoing implementation of control measures in the areas of high-visibility presence and incident management, social supports for individuals in need, and community safety program support.

Wheel-Trans Taxi Service Contracts Extension
​The TTC Board approved extensions of the Wheel-Trans Taxi Service contracts. The TTC will exercise the two available extension options of one year each for the current accessible distance-based and sedan meter-based taxi service contracts and increase the total contract upset limit by $43,000,000, from $402,000,000 to $445,000,000. In addition, staff received approval to authorize an additional two-year extension of the contracts to account for the financial impacts experienced by taxi contractors and operators arising from lower ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the extension conditional upon the submission of a final EV Clean Vehicle Transition Strategy acceptable to the TTC Board that demonstrates a clear commitment to fleet electrification. The five current accessible distance-based taxi contracts expire in May 2025 and the three sedan meter-based taxi contracts expire in June 2025. Approval by the TTC Board for the additional two-year extension would further increase the contract value by $207,000,000 to a cumulative value of $652,000,000.

The TTC’s five existing service providers are: Associated Toronto Taxi-Cab Co-operative (Co-Op AT), 2605881 Ontario Inc. (Royal Taxi), 1210670 Ontario Inc. (Scarborough City Cab), 1145659 Ontario Limited (Checker Taxi), and Beck Taxi Ltd. (Beck AT).

Procurement Authorization – Mobile Devices and Services
​Board members approved the award of a contract worth up to $12,648,000, inclusive of HST, to Rogers Communications Canada Inc. for Mobile Devices and Services for an initial term of 69 months commencing November 1, 2024 and ending July 31, 2030, with two optional, two-year extension terms to be exercised at the TTC’s sole discretion.

Commissioners approved the following recommendations:

• Delegate authority to the TTC’s Chief Executive Officer to exercise the first two-year optional term commencing August 1, 2030 to July 31, 2032, and increase the value of the contract in the total amount of up to $5,473,000, inclusive of HST.

• Delegate authority to the TTC’s Chief Executive Officer to exercise the second and final two-year optional term commencing August 1, 2032 to July 31, 2034, and increase the value of the contract in the total amount of up to $6,255,000.

Since 2019, the TTC has leveraged the Provincial Vendor of Record (VOR) with Rogers and benefited from preferred pricing. The outgoing VOR expired July 31, 2024, and the Province has established a new VOR, again with Rogers, which staff recommends leveraging for the mobile devices and services that the TTC requires.

Automated Streetcar Enforcement System
​Board members received an update report on the TTC’s Automated Streetcar Enforcement System project and authorized that the information in the Confidential Attachment remain confidential until the Automated Streetcar Enforcement System (ASES) Pilot contract is awarded.

The TTC is currently developing a pilot to test the efficacy of this technology and to build a better understanding of the scale of the issue. The pilot will bring on vendors to work with the TTC to test and implement an automated camera enforcement system on a limited number of streetcars. No tickets would be issued during the pilot period, but will help the TTC determine the final requirements for a potential full rollout. The procurement for vendor partners is already underway, and they are expected to come on board by early 2025. Planning, design, installation, and testing will take place shortly after they are on board, and in-field testing would start by Q2 2026. Once the vendor partners are on board, opportunities to accelerate the schedule will be explored.

TTC and CUPE Local 470 – Collective Agreement Ratification and Non-Union Compensation Adjustments
​Commissioners adopted the recommendations as set out in a Confidential Attachment and authorized the confidential recommendations and confidential information respecting the Collective Agreement with CUPE Local 470 be released upon ratification of the tentative agreement by both the TTC and CUPE Local 470, and that all other information remain confidential as it is subject to labour relations or employee negotiations.

Notice of Motions

Commissioners adopted two Notices of Motions:

CEO Delegation of Authority
​In the case of an unexpected absence (e.g. illness) of the TTC Chief Executive Officer or vacancy in the position, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer shall become the Acting CEO during the absence or vacancy, unless otherwise previously delegated by the CEO or unless otherwise determined by the Board. The DCEO may further delegate in accordance with existing policies.

Baby on Board Badge Program
​Investigate the feasibility of implementing a “Baby on Board” badge program similar to the one from Transport for London and seek any approvals necessary to implement it as well as review communication materials, including the website, and update information available for pregnant women and customers with small children, based on best practices found in other jurisdictions.

Next meeting of the TTC Board
​The next regular scheduled TTC Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, December 3.

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