CEO's Report: April Commentary

I would like to formally welcome Joe Mihevc, former City Councillor and TTC Vice-Chair, as the newest citizen Commissioner to the TTC Board. Toronto City Council named Mr. Mihevc to the Board on March 26 to replace citizen Commissioner Joanne De Laurentiis (Vice-Chair). His term of office runs until March 29, 2029.

Mr. Mihevc served on the TTC Board for many years and was Vice-Chair from 2006 to 2010. His expertise is in municipal governance and public policy, public health, community development and engagement, housing policy, economic development, urban planning/redevelopment, sustainability, poverty reduction, transit governance and planning, and newcomer resettlement.

34 billion riders and counting!
​In April, the TTC will achieve a major milestone when it welcomes its 34 billionth rider since beginning operations in 1921.

The TTC continues to move millions of customers daily around the city. Surpassing 34 billion riders is an amazing accomplishment; it couldn’t be possible without the skill and professionalism of our workforce, who work tirelessly to get our customers from A to B safely.

The TTC has experienced annual ridership increases for the last three years, having reached nearly 420 million trips in 2024. With tremendous support from Mayor Chow, Chair Myers and the TTC Board, we are working harder than ever to improve service levels thanks to the historic investments being made across the bus, subway, and streetcar network.

The TTC surpassed 33 billion riders in October 2022.

Ridership update
​For the week ending March 22, the overall weekday boardings stood at 2.6 million per day and increased by five per cent from the same week last year. Weekday boardings by mode continue to be highest on the bus network at 1.2 million, followed by subway at 1.1 million, and streetcar at 256,000. Compared to a year ago, subway and streetcar demand increased respectively by nine per cent and seven per cent mainly due to an increase in downtown office commutes, while bus saw less increase at two per cent.

People and Culture Group

March celebrated International Women’s Day
​I want to thank everyone at the TTC for participating in International Women’s Day events last month.

At two events in particular – the WTS International Women’s Day Breakfast on March 7 and the Toronto Railway Club International Women’s Day Luncheon on March 10 – transit industry leaders shared their experiences and explored actionable steps toward achieving gender equality in transportation. Claire Patrigeon, the TTC’s first woman Manager in vehicle maintenance, was a guest speaker at the luncheon. These engaging events provided valuable opportunities for attendees to connect, learn, and contribute to building a more inclusive future.

International Women’s Day reminds us of our commitment to a more equitable and inclusive company. At the TTC, we strive for a workplace that’s free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, and where difference is valued and celebrated. I am incredibly proud of what we are doing to achieve these goals.

Strategy and Customer Experience Group

Fare inspections expanded to bus network
​In March, our Fare Inspectors began asking TTC bus riders to show proof of payment as the crackdown on fare evasion expanded to all transit modes. Fare inspections on the bus network are another step in our enhanced efforts to protect approximately $140 million lost to fare evasion annually.

I’m pleased to share that the first two weeks, starting from March 17, have gone very well. During this initial educational period aimed at addressing non-payment and engaging with intending customers, early results show that more than 37,000 inspections were conducted through this initiative, with more than 480 tickets issued for illegal entries and the misuse of fare media concessions.

As of March 31, we began full enforcement of off-board bus inspections. We’re optimistic that this next phase will continue to promote fare compliance across the network.

When people don’t pay, that impacts our ability to increase service and keep fares down. We must let those who intentionally cheat the system know we’re serious. Fare evasion is fraud and it’s illegal.

Our Fare Inspectors are trained professionals committed to accountability, transparency, and building public trust. Similar to Transit Special Constables, all Fare Inspectors are now equipped with body-worn cameras to record customer interactions. I’m proud of this team’s dedication and diligence as we continue to innovate and introduce new technologies and procedures to deter fare evasion.

Transportation and Vehicles Group

Service improvements strengthen connections, improving reliability
​On Sunday, March 30, the TTC introduced more service increases, resulting in more frequent and reliable trips, shorter wait times, and more room for customers on board our vehicles.

Last month, I was pleased to be with Mayor Chow, TTC Chair Myers, and Councillor Perruzza for an official announcement at the corner of Steeles Avenue and Weston Road.

We added thousands of hours of service across the city at all times of day, with added capacity and higher frequency on bus, subway, and streetcar service – especially on weekends where demand is outgrowing capacity.

At Steeles and Weston, for example, we increased the 165 Weston Rd North bus service on Saturdays between noon and 7 p.m. An additional 21 trips will increase frequency to every six minutes, shaving two-and-a-half minutes off wait times and giving riders more room on board.

The TTC also returned service on Line 4 Sheppard to every five-and-a-half minutes, all day, every day, and made travel on Saturdays easier for customers on popular streetcar routes.

Safe, reliable, and frequent public transit is vitally important to the success of our vibrant city. It’s considered in every decision we make and every discussion we have.

Vehicle maintenance checks start in spring
​At this time of year, thousands of vehicles in our fleets undergo an extensive spring maintenance checklist involving critical components ranging from air filters to wiper blades to bicycle racks on buses. TTC crews will also perform a complete inspection of HVAC systems so that onboard air conditioning is at optimal performance. Service inspections include air filter changes, bike rack repairs, as well as overall cleaning of vehicle surfaces, windows, and seats.

The spring checks will run until the end of May in advance of summer. All our vehicle modes have similar spring checklists.

Operations and Engineering Group

TTC, police hear from subway riders
​On March 19, the TTC and Toronto Police Service (TPS) teamed up at Dundas Station for an event designed to engage directly with riders and address their safety concerns. The initiative focused on two key priorities: improving safety on the TTC and raising awareness about fraud prevention.

A diverse team of TTC Special Constables, Transit Fare Inspectors, TPS Neighbourhood Community Officers, TPS/TTC executives, TPS Auxiliaries, and Police Officers interacted with commuters to share valuable safety tips and discuss the various safety features available in the system. These features include surveillance cameras, emergency alarms, and panic buttons available on buses and subway cars to help riders feel more secure.

The group heard comments and concerns from a broad cross-section of customers, many of whom expressed a desire for a more visible presence on transit and a greater focus on addressing issues, such persons experiencing homelessness and individuals with complex needs. In response, TTC and TPS staff emphasized the importance of immediately reporting issues to uniformed staff or using the SafeTTC app.

This initiative helps strengthen relationships between the TTC, TPS, and the community, and ensures everyone’s safety needs are heard and addressed in a meaningful way. More of these public sessions will be conducted at other stations in 2025.

Update on Reduced Speed Zones
​As of March 24, the TTC had 11 Reduced Speed Zones (RSZs) in place in the subway system. Trains are required to travel at a slower-than-normal speed to minimize rail wear and allow maintenance work to be completed in these zones. RSZs are installed as a safety precaution and do not indicate that the track is unsafe for operation. Regular inspections continue to identify new defects that require a restricted zone to be installed. A complete list of RSZ locations is available at ttc.ca.

We have established a baseline target of 12 slow zones in the system at any time, but we know this number can and will fluctuate as we conduct more inspections. This spring, we will conduct another comprehensive audit of track geometry. That will undoubtedly result in more slow orders being put in place, and we apologize in advance for that. But with safety always at top of mind, we must stay on top of the state-of-good-repair even if it means temporary service impacts.

Engineering, Construction and Expansion Group

Elevators in service at High Park Station
​High Park became the TTC’s 58th accessible station and the 26th station with elevators on Line 2 Bloor-Danforth in March. High Park is the first station we made accessible this year. Four more stations are scheduled to have elevators in service in 2025. They are: Rosedale, Christie, Summerhill, and Warden.

Elevator construction continues at the other remaining stations: Greenwood, Old Mill, College, Lawrence, Spadina, Museum, Islington, and King.

I want to extend my appreciation to our community partners, our construction partners, and the numerous TTC departments that work extensively and collaboratively to make each accessible station a reality. All of us at the TTC take immense pride in the work being done to realize a system without barriers.

Revitalizing St Patrick and Queen’s Park stations
​Critical state-of-good-repair work continues at St Patrick and Queen’s Park stations on Line 1. Work at these locations has been carried out in phases, allowing us to keep subway service running and minimize disruption for our customers.

Work at these stations includes replacing platform side wall panels, asbestos removal, new ceiling and lighting installations, and a new wall panel system at both track and platform sides.

The schedule for these projects has been impacted by several factors, including the discovery of additional asbestos in the joints of the tunnel liners, issues with the size and quality of the panels, and the ability of subcontractors or the TTC to fully resource weekend closures.

TTC staff are in the process of completing a detailed review of the substantial completion schedule with the contractor to finish work at both stations in 2026.

We are considering measures, such as early platform access, full weekend closures, or stations being closed for a predetermined duration, with trains bypassing.

In 2021, the TTC took advantage of three 10-day closures between St George and St Andrew stations during the pandemic. Accelerating essential maintenance and state-of-good-repair work during a period of reduced ridership spared riders between 75 and 100 weekend closures over a few years.

All work will, of course, be completed safely and in accordance with all environmental regulations.

TTC’s vintage streetcars moved during Hillcrest construction
​As the TTC begins to ramp up construction activity at Hillcrest Complex to allow for the storage and maintenance of new accessible streetcars, staff have temporarily relocated our six legacy streetcars to Halton County Railway Museum for safekeeping.

The TTC’s six legacy streetcars include one Peter Witt, two PCCs, two CLRVs, and one ALRV. With the TTC modernization of the overhead catenary system, the trolley pole on our legacy streetcars is no longer compatible with the new system. The TTC is exploring options to convert the trolley pole to a pantograph, with the aim to retrofit the vintage vehicles before returning home after Hillcrest upgrades are completed.

Innovation and Sustainability Group

TTC celebrates Earth Day
​The TTC proudly celebrates Earth Day on Monday, April 22. The TTC recognizes that public transit plays a crucial choice in fighting climate change by shifting trips away from personal automobiles and toward low-carbon modes of transportation. By taking the TTC, Torontonians can choose an environmentally sustainable, affordable, and accessible way to get around the city.

In addition to helping lower community-wide emissions in Toronto, our organization is committed to minimizing its own environmental impacts. In September 2024, the TTC approved its first Innovation and Sustainability Strategy. This strategy will guide the TTC in meeting its commitment to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 or sooner, as part of the City’s TransformTO Climate Action Plan, and deliver on key actions in the TTC’s Corporate Plan regarding minimizing environmental impacts. The strategy also lays out actions the TTC will take to reduce consumption, protect the natural ecosystem, and build climate resilience.

We look forward to bringing you updates on our progress as we continue to implement the strategy.

Safety and Environment Group

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

On National Day of Mourning, we encourage our employees to remember their colleagues and take a personal moment to reflect on the importance of safety at the TTC.

On behalf of the Executive Team, I want to thank the hundreds of dedicated employees volunteering on 54 joint management/union Health and Safety Committees. These groups serve to promote co-operation and collaboration that allow workers and managers to equally participate in resolving health and safety matters continually.

Removing barriers to safe work ensures that all employees return home in the same condition they arrived for work.

The next scheduled TTC Board meeting will be on Wednesday, April 16. The public meeting will be live-streamed on the Official TTC YouTube Channel, starting at 10 a.m.

Greg Percy
​Chief Executive Officer
​April 2025