Office of the Chief Executive

On Tuesday, City Council approved the City’s 2026 Budget, which includes the TTC. I want to begin by recognizing and thanking the many TTC teams whose expertise, analysis, and collaboration helped make this outcome possible. On the day of Council, I was particularly grateful for the support of John Montagnese, Josh Colle, Erik Franc, and Laurence Lui, who represented the organization with professionalism and clarity. Your work was critical in clearly articulating what our system needs to safely and reliably serve Toronto. That collective effort helped secure the funding required to deliver the service our customers depend on, today and into the future, despite a challenging financial climate.

Key investments in the 2026 Budget include a third consecutive fare freeze, expanded service, and the introduction of monthly fare capping after 47 paid trips starting in September. These decisions reflect the importance of transit affordability and the trust placed in the TTC to deliver consistent, high-quality service for the city. Our budget also commits nearly $60 million to preserve and enhance safety initiatives and operating levels as more people return to the office and ridership patterns continue to evolve. It provides additional service to support the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, increases Wheel-Trans funding by $19 million to meet growing demand, and funds Lines 5 and 6 operations in 2026 through the New Deal with the Province of Ontario.

These investments are the result of strong, evidence-based planning, and they come with a shared responsibility to deliver results for customers every day. That responsibility was clearly on display this week with a truly historic moment for the TTC: the public opening of Line 5 Eglinton. The first day and first week of the phased opening and introductory service have been successful, and that success did not happen by chance. It reflects months of disciplined planning, careful co-ordination, and professionalism across the organization.

From control rooms to stations, from Operators to customer support teams, your fingerprints are all over this historic opening. You demonstrated what it means to deliver for the city we serve. The pride you take in your work was evident from day one, and the customer feedback and media coverage we’ve seen so far confirm that. I want to personally thank every one of you who played a role in reaching this long-awaited milestone.

This achievement is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we work as One TTC, grounded in trust, accountable to one another, and united by a shared purpose. That said, it is also important to acknowledge that there were challenging moments leading up to the opening, and that the TTC was rightly challenging our partners along the way to ensure we delivered safely and effectively for our customers. This balance of transparency, accountability, and delivery is the standard we must continue to set, not just for major system openings, but in everything we do.

Later this year, Line 5 will transition to full service. As that happens, our customers will continue to look to us for leadership, reassurance, and care. I am confident they will experience the same professionalism, patience, and humanity that define this organization. With that confidence comes responsibility: every interaction matters, and every decision we make reflects upon the TTC as a whole.

That same commitment to accountability and continuous improvement is also driving how we modernize the way we work. BidWeb, the digital tool used by Operators for board period sign-ups, is now live at all bus divisions. This is an important milestone in our modernization journey. I want to thank the peer coaches, Clerks, Shop Stewards, divisional management, and the project team who worked together to make this transition successful. BidWeb is a key part of the SAP Program, which is modernizing time, attendance, and scheduling practices across the TTC. The rollout will continue to streetcar, LRT, and subway divisions later this year, supporting a more consistent, transparent, and efficient way of working across the organization.

This week is a reminder of what is possible when we lead with purpose, plan with discipline, and hold ourselves accountable to one another and to the public we serve.

We are also committed to listening, learning, and continuously improving. If you have feedback, ideas, or suggestions on any aspect of our work, I encourage you to share them. Your perspectives matter and help shape how we move forward together.

As always, thank you for what you do every day to keep Toronto moving.

With gratitude and resolve,

Mandeep S. Lali
​Chief Executive Officer
​February 13, 2026