CEO's Report: March Commentary

I want to begin this month by thanking all our TTC employees for what they do to provide safe, seamless, accessible, inclusive, and reliable transit service to the residents of Toronto and beyond.

Every year across North America, March 18 is recognized as Transit Operator and Worker Appreciation Day. My thanks to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow for her official proclamation of the day and recognition of TTC employees’ contributions to our great city.

Transit operators and workers are essential – they help support our community, providing critical linkages between homes, work, and appointments that keep our city moving. Transit Operator and Worker Appreciation Day is an opportunity to show gratitude for our employees’ hard work, dedication, and commitment to public service.

Ridership update
​For the week ending February 28, the overall weekday boardings stood at 2.6 million per day and increased by six 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 streetcar at 248,000 and subway at 1.1 million. Compared to a year ago, subway and streetcar demand increased respectively by 10 per cent and six per cent, while bus increased more modestly by three per cent, mainly due to increased commuting to the office.

People and Culture Group

TTC celebrates International Women’s Day
​On March 8, the TTC celebrated International Women’s Day. This day is an important reminder that we must continue to work toward a more equitable and inclusive TTC. The theme this year was Accelerate Action.

For our organization, this theme reinforces our commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Accelerate Action serves as a reminder that meaningful progress requires continuous effort, decisive action, and a genuine commitment to breaking down systemic barriers to gender equity.

Since the TTC Connects: Women as Transit Operators initiative launched in 2021, the TTC has consistently met its goal of ensuring that 40 per cent or more of our new transit Operators are women.

Strategy and Customer Experience Group

TTC wins prestigious APTA AdWheel Award
​I am thrilled that the TTC has won the Best Overall Comprehensive Marketing Campaign at the 2025 APTA Marketing AdWheel Awards earlier this year. The recognition was for the campaign the TTC did when the Eras Tour came to Toronto, and particularly the social media campaign.

The TTC had a well-thought-out plan to move more than 300,000 people across six nights, but the key to success on the communications was the right messaging, at the right time, which was interesting to concertgoers. This was achieved by strategically meeting the tech-savvy audience where they are, on social media, with relatable and sharable proactive communication. The customer sentiment made it clear that the TTC became a part of the concert experience before they even stepped into the Rogers Centre.

Congratulations to the team!

Transportation and Vehicles Group

Bunching and gapping pilot
​In March, we expanded a pilot to improve service reliability on 11 key bus and streetcar routes. Working with Transit Control personnel, uniformed Supervisors are being deployed mid-route to ensure our service frequency meets our customers’ expectations, and we reduce incidents of service bunching – a major frustration for customers.

Supervisors monitor service during weekday morning peak, midday, afternoon peak, and early evenings to help maintain our committed service headways. The selected routes are known for higher rates of bunching and gapping. Those include: 7 Bathurst, 24/924 Victoria Park, 25/925 Don Mills, 29/929 Dufferin, 100 Flemingdon Park, 165 Weston Rd North, 506 Carton, and 512 St Clair.

I look forward to sharing early results of our efforts in future reports to keep the Board informed of how the pilot is performing.

March service changes
​Starting on Sunday, March 30, the TTC will introduce service increases and/or additional trips during select travel periods on 18 bus and streetcar routes, including the 16 McCowan, 102 Markham Rd, 116 Morningside, 505 Dundas and 506 Carlton.

Train service on Line 4 Sheppard will also be improved to every five minutes in all periods on weekdays and weekends.

We encourage TTC riders to follow @TTCNotices on X (formerly Twitter) or check ttc.ca for the most up-to-date information.

Sound cannons at Leslie Barns
​The TTC remains committed to maintaining safe and clean work environments for our employees, while ensuring the smooth operation of our transit system. At Leslie Barns, we continue to address the ongoing challenge posed by the large seagull population, which has created unsanitary conditions and operational disruptions. Last year, we introduced a multi-measure deterrent program – including sound cannons and netting – which successfully prevented approximately 10,000 seagulls from nesting at the streetcar carhouse. Given its effectiveness, we will implement the same approach again this season, from the middle of March to June.

We recognize the importance of balancing our operational needs with community considerations. The sound cannons, which emit a controlled noise like a soft pop or a distant firework, will only be activated when seagulls are present, operating up to four times per hour between 30 minutes before sunrise and 7 p.m. Their placement is designed to minimize disruption to nearby residents and businesses, and the initiative complies fully with environmental regulations.

Community outreach includes: hand-delivering notices to neighbours and businesses immediately beside our facility. We also e-mail information to stakeholders, such as EMS, 911, 311, TPS Division 55, WaterfrontTO, among other groups. Information is also relayed to 83 Jones customers, signage around Leslie Barns, website updates, and proactive social media and media relations.

We appreciate the understanding of our employees and neighbours as we take necessary steps to manage this issue, while maintaining our commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency.

Operations and Infrastructure Group

Station cleanliness and staffing model
​We are excited to begin work on a $950,000 pilot to improve the condition, cleanliness, and aesthetics at six key stations. They are: Dundas, Finch, Kennedy, Lansdowne, Scarborough Town Centre (bus terminal), and Spadina. Work includes deep cleaning, repainting, installation of new bench seats, ceiling repairs, new LED lighting, and replacement of worn tactile platform edge tiles. Nine new janitorial positions will improve cleanliness with higher-frequency cleaning, while three additional Group Station Managers will enhance safety, security, and operational performance.

The results will inform future funding options for a more comprehensive station management and cleanliness program.

Update on Reduced Speed Zones
​As of March 7, the TTC had 10 Reduced Speed Zones (RSZ) 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

Construction kickoff at Hillcrest Complex

On March 6, I was joined by Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada, Mayor Olivia Chow, and TTC Chair Jamaal Myers to officially launch construction at Hillcrest Complex.

Hillcrest will undergo major upgrades over the next five years to store and maintain approximately 25 new accessible streetcars. This work allows us to modernize our facilities for future transit growth. Hillcrest is also the closest maintenance facility to the 512 St Clair and 511 Bathurst routes, which will benefit from the new vehicles. Part of the scope of work will include improvements to the landscaping for the surrounding public realm.

The TTC’s existing streetcar facilities can accommodate about 239 streetcars. The retrofit to Hillcrest will allow for a total fleet size of 264 vehicles. The construction project is funded by contributions from the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto.

Contract awarded for BYCI Project’s Progressive Design-Build Development Phase
​At the TTC Board meeting in February, Commissioners approved a contract worth $154.6 million to Kenaidan Murphy Joint Venture for the Progressive Design-Build Development Phase of the Bloor-Yonge Capacity Improvements Project. This contract will establish a joint project delivery office and team consisting of TTC and the Progressive Design-Builder to collaboratively develop the design of this megaproject to approximately 70 per cent. Completion of the Development Phase is expected in Q1 2027.

Bloor-Yonge interchange station is a major transfer point in the TTC subway system. Lines 1 and 2 are expected to experience significant ridership growth reflecting ridership generated from population growth and from the implementation of transit expansion initiatives on Lines 1 and 2. The total estimated cost for the BYCI project is $1.514 billion and is fully funded by all orders of government.

Innovation and Sustainability Group

TTC Board approves battery-electric buses for Wheel-Trans pilot
​At its February meeting, Board members approved the award of a contract worth $5.55 million to Damera Bus Sales Canada Corporation for the supply and delivery of five battery-electric vehicles for Wheel-Trans.

The delivery of these buses is planned to be completed by 2026 in line with the approved Wheel-Trans Fleet Plan. This will be followed by a two-year evaluation of the pilot vehicles, which will help inform a steady-state bulk procurement planned to begin in 2028. Staff will report back to the Board with the results of the pilot. Subject to the results and funding, the TTC aims to have the Wheel-Trans fleet fully electrified by 2040.

At 30 per cent, the proponent has committed to exceed the minimum Canadian content requirement of 25 per cent. Primary manufacturing is in Türkiye and final assembly will be in Mississauga.

The Wheel-Trans Green Bus Program’s objective is to meet the requirements outlined in the City’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, which defines a pathway to achieve net zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Toronto by 2040.

This objective is further supported by the TTC’s 2024-2028 Corporate Plan’s Strategic Direction 4, Transform and Modernize for a Changing Environment, as well as our Innovation and Sustainability Strategy 2024-2028. The latter includes actions to minimize environmental impacts and build resiliency for a climate-changed future, such as the TTC’s Green Fleet Program and its transition to net zero. This requires the TTC to adopt modern technology and embed sustainable practices as we renew our aging fleet and infrastructure.

A key interdependency to the electrification of the Wheel-Trans fleet is the associated charging infrastructure. The TTC currently has an agreement with PowerON Energy Solutions LP, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, to install the charging infrastructure required to support the battery-electric buses at the Wheel-Trans Lakeshore garage facility. PowerON has completed the detailed design and is working with the TTC to commission the required charge points ahead of the delivery of the battery-electric vehicles.

Safety and Environment Group

Ride safe with SafeTTC app
​The safety of customers and employees is paramount to everything the TTC does. We remain committed to working with Toronto Police, City of Toronto and our union partners on efforts to make the TTC as safe as possible for customers and employees.

As a reminder, while we have Transit Special Constables patrolling the system to deter and respond to security incidents, and uniformed staff throughout the system who can contact Transit Control directly for assistance, the SafeTTC App is a mobile app for both iOS and Android that offers riders a quick and discreet method for reporting harassment, safety concerns, or suspicious activity directly to our control centre. Customers can do their part to help make transit safer for everyone by submitting details of incidents or situations they may witness on the system – whether on a vehicle, in a station or at a bus or streetcar stop.

Customers can always call 9-1-1, either through the app or their mobile, if police, fire, or medical assistance is required.

Please remember: if you see something, say something.

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
​March 2025