“Why are they firing Gary Webster,” asked Jamie Kirkpatrick, spokesperson for TTCriders. “Are they afraid he will do his job and provide an objective analysis of how transit expansion should happen in Toronto?”

Kirkpatrick noted that the five Commissioners who want to sack Webster also voted against allowing TTC staff to provide information on options for transit expansion at the January 31st TTC meeting.

Commissioners Crisanti, Di Giorgio, Kelly, Minnan-Wong and Palacio also voted with the Mayor against a Council-approved plan to build 3 new Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines throughout the city. This fully funded plan was adopted at a special Council meeting on February 8th. As well, these Commissioners support the Mayor’s call for a subway along Sheppard, instead of a fully funded LRT, even though TTC staff reports and other transit experts agree the proposed subway is unnecessary and not affordable.

These Councillors can be reached at the following email addresses and phone numbers:

It’s a sad day for transit riders when five Commissioners who are responsible for our transit system want to fire someone for doing their job.

After yesterday’s full day of debate in a Council Chamber packed with TTC riders, Council voted in favour of TTC Chair Karen Stintz’s LRT plan with a vote of 25-18.

Click here to see how your Councillor voted. 

Fuelling the momentous vote were thousands of petitions signed by TTC riders that called on Council to deliver rapid transit to all corners of our City. The strength of our message was heard by Councillors from all points on the political spectrum!

The plan endorsed by Councillor Stintz and the majority of Council will launch the following three LRT lines into building mode:

1. The Eglinton Crosstown (underground from Keele Street to Laird Avenue and at grade from Leslie Street to Kennedy Station).
2. Finch West LRT from the planned Finch West Station (part of the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway extension) to Humber College.
3. Converting the current Scarborough RT into an LRT, expanding it north to Sheppard Avenue. Council also agreed to prioritize, when funding is available, further expansion of this line to the Malvern Town Centre.

As per Stintz’s motion, plans for a fourth line on Sheppard Avenue East will be reviewed by an expert panel. The panel will report back on March 31st on the most effective means of delivering rapid transit to the greatest number of riders with the funds available.

“I think it was a good day for Council and I think what we agreed on is really a common sense compromise that helps make sure we build rapid transit to the most number of people in the city of Toronto,” said Stintz about the vote.

TTCriders was formed to give voice to the interests and concerns of the millions of Torontonians who use the TTC. Yesterday, thanks to your phone calls, emails, and letters to City Councillors, Council has listened and accessible, rapid transit is on its way!

Click here to Tell your Councillor to Support Rapid Transit Now!

Councillor Stintz’s LRT plan will deliver the rapid transit Torontonians want. This plan is based on solid transit principles, will see rapid transit built quickly, underground where it is needed, to all parts of the city, and it’s completely paid for by the Province.

TTCriders released the following statement today:

We applaud Councillor Stintz and the other 23 Councillors who are calling for a special Council meeting on Wednesday which should get transit expansion moving again in Toronto. Now we call on Mayor Ford and the other 20 Councillors to get on board as well.

Councillor Stintz’s plan calls for four Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines to be built: the Eglinton Crosstown (underground from Keele St to Laird Ave and at grade from Leslie Street to Kennedy Station); replacing the current Scarborough RT with LRT and expanding it north to Sheppard Ave; along Sheppard Ave East from Don Mills Station to Morningside Ave; along Finch Ave west from the new Finch West Station to Humber College. These new LRT lines will have almost no impact on existing car lanes as there is enough space to build new lanes on these wide suburban avenues.

TTCriders launched an e-petition that allows Torontonians to send an email to their Councillor showing their support for the plan.

For Torontonians who want rapid transit now in all parts of the city, this plan will get us there.

Click here to see the petition signed by 24 Councilliors calling for a special City Council meeting to approve the LRT Plan.

Click here to see TTC Chair Stintz’s Letter to Metrolinx in support the original  LRT plan.

Councillors voted in favour of the motion 23-21. See how your Councillor voted here.

This $5 million is enough to stop the majority of the TTC service cuts proposed in the TTC’s budget!

This crucial motion would not have happened without the efforts of thousands of TTCriders who contacted their Councillors and told them that cutting TTC service isn’t fair. It’s because of you that public transit and the health of our city was prioritized at Council!

For a detailed analysis of what this $5 million will mean for 2012 TTC service you can read Steve Munro’s blog post on this subject here.

Unfortunately, the battle may not be over. Instead of funding the TTC, and following the will of the majority on Council, TTC Chair Karen Stintz wants to put the $5 million toward Wheel-Trans for dialysis patients.

Although this is a very important cause, the funds gained from Colle’s motion were intended to stop proposed cuts to TTC routes.

The fate of the funds is now in the hands of TTC Commissioners, who meet on January 31^st. We’ll keep you posted on any new developments regarding this issue. In the meantime, consider contacting the Toronto Transit Commission to ensure that the $5 million goes to stop TTC service cuts.

In addition to January’s fare hike, the City is poised to slash service on busy bus and streetcar routes and is planning to cancel an order for 108 badly needed new buses.

On January 17^th, Council will hold their final vote on the 2012 City Budget which includes these cuts to TTC funding. We have between now and the 17^th to make our voices heard and have our Councillors say no to TTC service cuts. 

TTCriders is working with Together Toronto to send a clear message against TTC cuts and fare hikes. Please sign this petition and tell your Councillor to stop the TTC cuts in their tracks!  

Thanks to the thousands of TTCriders who have phoned or written their City Councillors, the TTC has stopped half of the planned cuts to our rush hour bus routes! However, the remaining rush hour bus routes and all of the non-rush hour bus and streetcar routes are still slated to be cut if nothing changes at the January 17th City Council meeting. If we don’t stop these remaining cuts, TTC service will permanently take a major step backward.

It’s time for one last push! We need our Councillors to hear this message today!

Please phone, email or write your Councillor today and tell them to stop TTC service cuts.

Without TTCriders hard work none of these routes would have been saved. Now we have to continue to press Councillors to save the rest of the threatened TTC services!

It is now in the hands of Toronto City Council to find the remaining funds needed to avoid TTC bus and streetcar service cuts. Please email your Councillor and tell them to vote to stop TTC service cuts.

Unfortunately, the TTC did approve a plan to increase the price of tokens and passes effective January 1st, 2012. Tokens will now cost $2.60 each, Metropasses will cost $126 and all other fare media will go up.  As well, the Commission agreed in principle to inflationary increases to TTC fares in 2013, 2014 and 2015. This, along with ensuring the City’s contribution to the TTC’s operating subsidy is not further cut, is being done to help stabilize funding for the TTC.

The Good:

• TTC service on the City’s busiest bus routes will not be cut in 2012
• All remaining cuts will be pushed back until February or March
• This gives us time to tell our City Councillors to stop all of the proposed TTC service cuts permanently at their January 17th meeting

The Bad:

• A $0.10 fare hikes starts on January 1st 2012
• Current Bus and Streetcar service in “non-peak” travel times is not guaranteed past February / March 2012
• TTCriders can expect annual inflationary fare hikes in 2013, 2014 and 2015

The Ugly:

• Several speakers at the meeting made mention of the fact that Mayor Rob Ford’s unilateral decision to cancel Transit City will cost Torontonians $65 Million.
  
• We will get NO NEW TRANSIT for this $65,000,000; this is simply the penalty for cancelling the already funded Transit City plan.
  

Media Coverage of Yesterday’s TTC Decisions…

Toronto Star: TTC approves 10-cent fare hike

Toronto Star Royson James: Politics has ruined the TTC

Globe and Mail: Lower fuel costs give transit riders reprieve from service cuts

Toronto Sun: TTC approves fare hike

National Post: TTC tokens will go up to $2.60 on New Year’s Day

National Post Graphic: The TTC fare hike, and fares over the years

NOW Magazine: Service saved, for now

CBC: TTC to raise costs of passes, tokens

City TV: TTC approves 10 cent fare hike

Global TV: TTC fare increase passed

CTV News: TTC Fares Go Up Amid Dwindling Service

TTCriders, we need your help!  The members of the Toronto Transit Commission need to hear from you. They need to be reminded that it’s their job to do what’s best for the TTC and its users.  Service Cuts and Fare Hikes will do nothing to help the record number of Torontonians who use the TTC every day. Forcing transit riders to pay more to be squished on to overcrowded, less frequent buses will only keep people away from using the better way. We know it doesn’t have to be this way.

We need you to sign up and speak up for more and better public transit in Toronto. Please register to make a public deputation at the TTC’s final meeting of 2011. Just call 416-393-3698 or email gso@ttc.ca and ask to speak about the TTC’s 2012 budget. It will take a lot of us to get TTC Commissioners to do their job. We want them to:

1. Say no to the 10% reduction in the TTC’s operating budget.
2. Vote against the proposed fare hike.
3. Work with us to get the Province to return to fair funding of the TTC’s operating costs.

We won’t get a better TTC by creating more crowding and cutting bus service. We will get a better TTC by investing in more and better service and getting the Province to pay its fair share. 

Please stand up for our TTC and speak up on December 14th. Sign up to to speak up at the TTC meeting on December 14th @ 1:00pm.

If you can’t make the meeting, write your Councillor and tell them to speak up for more at better TTC. Visit www.TogetherToronto.ca to share your concerns directly with you City Councillor.

• Will riders have to pay more to use this line? Would the Crosstown have a different fare structure?
• Will Torontonians have the same level of input on this project if it is privately controlled?
• Who will operate the system if its not run by the TTC?
• What would happen if there was a disruption on the Crosstown? Would TTC buses be available to shuttle riders to their destinations?

TTCriders eagerly anticipate more details on this developing story and hope that all public transit in Toronto will remain publicly accountable and publicly controlled.

There are several examples of failed public transit PPPs around the globe. Last year, the Public Transit Coalition released a video about the dangers of Public Transit PPPs. The video cites examples of failed PPPs from London, Auckland, Melbourne and explores the problems Vancouver had with its private Canada Line.

TTCriders believes the best idea for the Crosstown is to stick with the original, less expensive LRT project that was in Metrolinx and TTC’s original plan. The original version of the Crosstown required less of the funds available from the Province and allowed for construction of 3 other major transit projects for Torontonians.

Click here to read TTCriders’ Letter to Councillor Stintz.

Add your voice to the thousands who have already spoken up.

Click here to email City Hall and tell our City Councillors to stop the cuts to our TTC.

We know Councillor Stintz wants to do what’s best for the millions of people who use the TTC every day. TTCriders are asking her and our City Councillors to take action and stop these cuts.

Help make TTCriders’ voice even stronger: Join Us Today!

Nov 24th Secret TTC Report Shows Major Bus Cuts

The TTC approved an amended 2012 Operating Budget at a special meeting on September 16th which included adjustments to “Peak and Off Peak Loading Standards” as part of a 10% reduction in the TTC’s budget. (We commented on this being a bad idea back then.)

TTCriders obtained an internal TTC report that states the service cuts are needed because of an “anticipated reduction in subsidy from the City of Toronto.” The cuts are to begin on January 8, 2012 and will mean fewer TTC vehicles will be operating on streets throughout the city. For TTC riders that means longer waits for more crowded buses and streetcars in every city ward.

Routes scheduled for cuts include several high traffic routes like the 25 Don Mills, the 29 Dufferin, the 35 Jane, and the 501 Queen streetcar. As well, the 36 Finch West bus, which is supposed to be gaining “enhanced bus service” under the Mayor’s Transportation City plan will have fewer, more crowded buses for residents who were promised LRT service back in 2008. The 85 Sheppard East bus, to be replaced by a subway in Mayor Ford’s transit plan, and the 32 and 34 Eglinton buses, to be replaced by the Crosstown line, are also scheduled for service cuts.

Click more to see what the media has had to say about the TTC service cuts:

Service cuts coming to 62 TTC routes 

- The Toronto Star

Service cuts coming in January affect Toronto transit agency’s busiest routes

- The Globe and Mail

TTC route changes ‘war’ on riders, group says

- The Toronto Sun

TTC releases details of streetcar, bus routes affected by cutbacks

- The National Post

TTC announces service cuts on many bus, streetcar routes

- CityTV

52 Bus Routes to Lose Peak Hour Service in January

- Torontoist