Where do Spadina-Fort York councillor candidates stand on transit?

For some, budgeting for transit can mean being late on rent, missing class, burning out on extra shifts, purchasing less food, or avoiding transit altogether to save on costs. For 30 years, fare increases has been vastly higher than the rate of inflation. On top of that, Torontonians cannot afford any increase in fares. In fact, the TTC's own report says that even a $0.10 fare increase would result in ~500,000 fewer rides being taken. A $1.10 fare increase would result in ~31 million fewer rides every year.

If we want people to keep using the TTC, riders need to see it as the most cost-effective way to get around Toronto. That's why maintaining a fare freeze and lowering the fare cap for all, and deepening affordability for lower-income riders is crucial over the next four years as we face more and more economic uncertainty. Here's what we asked candidates:

4. Will you commit to lowering the monthly fare cap to 40 rides or less, or to implementing weekly fare capping at 10 rides/week or less?

8. Will you commit to complete 1 RapidTO route in your ward by the end of the next Council term?

9. Will you commit to voting in favour of RapidTO routes in other wards to get bus and streetcar riders moving?

Will candidates commit to a transit system accessible to all?

A truly accessible transit system means more than being able to board a bus, streetcar or subway. Riders need to be able to navigate the system, understand where they are going, safely get to and from their stop, and rely on door-to-door service when conventional transit cannot meet their needs.

For too many riders, these barriers can make taking transit more difficult, stressful, or sometimes impossible. Confusing or inconsistent signage can make the TTC harder to navigate, particularly for riders with disabilities, seniors, tourists and people who are unfamiliar with the system. For Wheel-Trans users, reliable door-to-door service can be essential to getting to work, medical appointments, school and other parts of daily life.

Over the next four years, Toronto needs to make the TTC easier to use for everyone. That means fully implementing the TTC's wayfinding strategy, protecting and expanding door-to-door Wheel-Trans service for those who need it, and ensuring accessibility is prioritized during snowstorms and other disruptions. Here's what we asked candidates:

13. Do you endorse fully funding the 10 year TTC wayfinding strategy to improve signage and information for riders across the network?

14. Will you protect and expand door-to-door Wheel-Trans service for those who need it?

15. Will you commit to ensuring Toronto's snow event response prioritizes timely clearing of curbside snow piles at Wheel-Trans, bus, and streetcar stops after snowstorms?

Will candidates commit to a safe TTC for all?

While violence and offence rates on the TTC have declined, and fewer complaints are being made, public perception of safety has not caught up with these trends. We often hear from riders that they continue to view the TTC as an unsafe environment, and it's often mentioned as a real barrier to taking transit more often.

That said, TTCriders believe that improving safety must include non-enforcement as the default response. We hear again and again that the increased presence of police, fare inspectors, and special constables do not make many people feel safer, while raising concerns about the effectiveness of enforcement and who is disproportionately targeted or overrepresented in these interactions, particularly Black, Indigenous, unhoused, and other vulnerable riders.

In contrast, riders have identified community ambassadors, Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS), and greater visibility of TTC staff as actions that make them feel safer. For many riders, however, safety is also about having the infrastructure and conditions to protect themselves in the first place: better lighting in dark and isolated areas, more frequent service, safer places to wait and take shelter, and a TTC environment designed around care, accessibility, and dignity. The TTC needs to be safe for everyone, as everyone has a right to use it, and everyone deserves to be approached with compassion, prevention, and resources. Here's what we asked candidates:

17. Will you work towards installing platform edge doors across the subway system, starting with installation at busy stations like Bloor-Yonge Station this term?

Platform edge doors separate people and other debris from track level, keeping riders safe and service reliable. This means an 85% reduction in service interruptions, and countless lives saved. Cities around the world have installed platform edge doors in their existing subway systems, now it’s Toronto’s turn.

18. Will you commit to more upstream solutions, such as more shelters, affordable, deeply affordable and supportive housing so Torontonians never have to choose the TTC as a safe place to sleep?