Office of the Chief Executive

This past week has reminded me, once again, what it means to be part of the TTC family. The historic snowstorm tested every part of our network, yet you showed up with determination, professionalism, and heart. Across buses, streetcars, subway, LRT, Wheel-Trans, stations, maintenance, and Transit Control, your collective effort kept Toronto moving when the city needed us most.

At the height of the storm, I was travelling to Bloor on one of our shuttle buses when I overheard a customer describing the challenges of his journey. I asked him what brought him to the TTC that day, especially as an infrequent rider. His answer stayed with me: “It wasn’t safe to drive. TTC was the safe option.” In the middle of a storm that shut down much of the city, he chose us because he trusted us. He trusted you.

This week, when I addressed the Toronto Region Board of Trade, I shared that same story. It captured something fundamental I wanted Toronto’s business community to hear: transit is the backbone of the city’s economic ecosystem. When a customer tells us, during a historic storm, that he chose the TTC because it was the safest way to travel, it’s a powerful reminder of our responsibility and our impact.

I spoke about how cities thrive when their ecosystems are strong; when people, jobs, opportunity, infrastructure, and mobility all reinforce one another. Transit is the connective tissue that supports each of those elements. Millions of daily trips aren’t just movements across a map; they’re the flow of talent to workplaces, customers to businesses, and ideas across neighbourhoods. When the TTC performs well, the city becomes more competitive, more productive, and more resilient. Reliability and safety aren’t abstract goals; they are economic fundamentals. Businesses depend on predictable commutes, workers rely on safe, dignified travel, and communities count on a system that can withstand everything from population growth to extreme weather. When the TTC succeeds – when you succeed – Toronto succeeds.

Finally, as February approaches, we look forward to marking Black History Month under the theme, Past, Present, Proud – Stories that move us. Black history is a vital part of Toronto’s identity, and throughout the month we will spotlight employees and seven remarkable people, places, and cultural milestones – including Weyni Mengesha, Little Jamaica, the steelpan, Dudley Laws, the Domestic Scheme, Contrast newspaper, and the First Baptist Church. You’ll see these stories reflected across our system through wrapped buses, murals, and digital displays, offering meaningful moments for our customers and for all of us.

Thank you for everything you do, this week, and every week, to keep Toronto moving.

With gratitude and resolve,

Mandeep S. Lali
​Chief Executive Officer
​January 30, 2026