📸 Rally for better transit in Scarborough

On Saturday, May 7, 2022, 150 people rallied outside the Scarborough Civic Centre for better transit in Scarborough. With the Scarborough RT closing in 2023, transit users are calling for:

stable transit operations funding for more bus service
funding for free GO-TTC transfers, to unlock access to GO transit in Scarborough
funding to extend the Eglinton East LRT to Malvern
more bus lanes and transit priority

Photo Credit: Nithursan Elamuhilan

We heard powerful speeches from youth leader and TTCriders member Zain Khurram, Scarborough youth leader Keerthy Krishnakumar, South Asian Women's Rights Organization representative Tasfia Hasan, Scarborough centre resident Yvonne Yuan, community leader Suganthine Sivakumar, Scarborough Campus Students' Union Vice President External Thai Dillon Higashihara, and Centennial College Students' Association President Tima Shah.

All provincial election candidates were invited to attend and sign a pledge committing to stable operations funding to boost bus service, and funding to integrate GO and TTC fares and build the Eglinton East LRT to Malvern. All Scarborough Councillors and municipal election candidates were invited to sign a pledge committing to expand bus lanes and transit priority by 2023 and increase bus service and lower fares.

Provincial election candidates who signed the transit pledge:

Anita Anandarajan (Liberal candidate for Scarborough North, signed on May 26 2022)

Benjamin Truong (NDP candidate for Scarborough-Agincourt)

Cara Brideau (Green candidate for Scarborough Southwest, signed on May 26 2022)

Doly Begum (MPP & NDP candidate for Scarborough Southwest)

Felicia Samuel (NDP candidate for Scarborough Rouge Park)

Justin Kong (NDP candidate for Scarborough North)

Lisa Patel (Liberal candidate for Scarborough Southwest)

Manal Abdullahi (Liberal candidate for Scarborough Rouge Park)

Mitzie Hunter (MPP & Liberal candidate for Scarborough-Guildwood)

Mazhar Shafiq (Liberal candidate for Scarborough Centre)

Priyan de Silva (Green candidate for Scarborough Rouge Park, signed on May 26 2022)

Soo Wong (Liberal candidate for Scarborough-Agincourt)

Veronica Javier (NDP candidate for Scarborough-Guildwood)

Municipal election candidates who signed the transit pledge:

Kevin Rupasinghe (municipal candidate for Scarborough Southwest)

Jamaal Myers (municipal candidate for Scarborough North)

Better Transit in Scarborough Pledge Text

As provincial MPP, I pledge to:

Provide operations funding for transit.The Scarborough RT replacement bus service requires $67 million to operate between 2023 and 2030. The TTC is facing budget shortfalls in the next two years as ridership continues to recover from the pandemic. Operating funding is needed to increase service, lower fares, and get more people riding transit.

Help fund the Eglinton East LRT. Toronto City Council has allocated $1.2 billion to connect Kennedy Station to Malvern via UTSC. Now provincial and federal funding is needed.

Fund integration between GO and TTC. One flat fare in Toronto will unlock more rapid transit access in Scarborough.

As City Councillor, I pledge to:

Expand bus lanes and transit priority by 2023. RapidTO increased bus reliability along Eglinton East, Kingston, and Morningside by 12%. Scarborough needs more bus lanes to make our trips faster and more reliable.

Increase bus service and make TTC more affordable. Increase funding to the TTC to increase service and levels and lower fares for all. TTC is introducing fare capping, but it won’t help if the cost of monthly passes aren’t lowered. Fully fund the Fair Pass TTC discount for all low-income residents in 2023 and deepen the discount.

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