Office of the Chief Executive

Dear colleagues,

The TTC’s mission is to deliver world-class service that matches the ambition and energy of our great city. We will deliver world-class service through relentless incremental improvements to safety, service reliability, enhanced cleanliness, and by staying in a constant state of learning, building, and fixing.

With this in mind, I would like to congratulate the TTC’s latest class of Subway Vehicle Technicians. Nine employees have distinguished themselves by completing one of the most demanding technical training programs in the transit industry. A well-deserved congratulations to: Alex Artemenko, Brian Balkissoon, Marvin Dizon, Daniel Oppong, Peter Shamon, Brigesh Singh, Steve Sipidias, Biniam Tewelde, and Daniel Thompson.

These graduates completed a rigorous, 13-month curriculum that included in-depth study of two subway train systems, hands-on troubleshooting, and advanced diagnostic tools and technical manuals. This required technical expertise, resilience, adaptability, and operational excellence.

This year’s graduation marks a historic first for the TTC and the broader transit industry. The SVT program was officially reviewed and endorsed by the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT). This is a groundbreaking achievement and the first time a corporate-led program has been recognized for meeting OACETT’s high technical certification standards.

This endorsement validates the SVT program’s academic rigor, industry relevance, and alignment with the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in the engineering technology field. Our graduates are now eligible for certified membership in OACETT, joining a respected community of engineering technology professionals across the province.

Congratulations again to everyone involved. Let’s continue to build, fix, and do our utmost for this wonderful city. Together, we will set the standard for excellence.

As I've been travelling on the system this week, it was a pleasure to meet and chat with many frontliners, including our new-look Provincial Offences Officers. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for the important work they are doing. This transition is one of several initiatives we’ve recently rolled out to encourage fare compliance. Our group in Revenue Protection does sterling work to ensure people riding the TTC pay their fare, thereby reducing the $140 million annually lost to fare evasion. It’s a reminder to customers that when they choose not to pay their fare, it impacts our ability to increase service and keep fare prices low.

Mandeep S. Lali
​Chief Executive Officer
​July 25, 2025