Autonomy & Funding

Olivia Chow secured the Ontario-Toronto New Deal, which included $630 million in operating funding for the TTC and $500 million in capital funding from the upload of the Gardiner and DVP. She also secured funding for 55 new subway trains for Line 2 from the provincial and federal governments to ensure there is reliable service for decades to come. Olivia will keep building on the strong relationships she has built with the provincial and federal governments to continue securing funding for the TTC, including to continue clearing the state-of-good-repair backlog, funding the much-needed Scarborough East Rapid Transit line, and funding the TTC’s full capital investment plan, including projects like platform edge doors. Olivia believes that decisions about public transit should be made by local decision-makers.

The TTC must stay publicly owned and municipally governed — accountable to riders, not privatized and not run by Queen’s Park or Metrolinx for local fare and service decisions. I will fight Bill 98 and any move that strips Toronto of final authority over fares, service, and operations. Operating and capital dollars should come from senior governments that can tax extreme wealth — tax the billionaires and corporations that can pay — so riders are not the cash cow. City tools I control (including a commercial parking levy and clear books) back reliable service; I will press Ottawa and Queen’s Park hard for operating and capital funding so we stop balancing the TTC on fare hikes.

I support better regional transit integration overseen by the Province but Toronto’s transit should remain City-operated and governed. Local decisions, however, are not inherently good. Currently, no single body is responsible for Toronto’s entire transit system or accountable for performance. That is a problem.
As Mayor, I will appoint an elected official to lead a dedicated Transportation Team to guide a City-wide Transportation Master Plan and report publicly on progress. Consolidating expertise from across existing silos in Infrastructure Services, City Planning, the TTC, and the TPA would allow for holistic choices about transit, roads, cycling, parking, construction, and goods movement.
The City will retain power over fares, service levels, network priorities, and funding - including advocacy at the provincial and federal levels for sustainable TTC operating.  Meanwhile, the TTC will focus on running transit safely, reliably, and efficiently.

Toronto should have a strong voice in decisions about its own transit system. I will work with provincial and federal governments to secure the funding Toronto needs while protecting the TTC as a publicly owned transit system. My priority is to make the TTC more accessible, reliable and affordable while being responsible with public funds. Toronto needs a long-term funding model that does not leave riders carrying the burden through continual fare increases.

The TTC needs to bring contractors and engineers in house to bring down the cost per km of transit construction.

I believe Toronto  needs a reliable, safe, modern and financially sustainable transits system.
Funding  should  prioritize reliable service; maintenance  modernisation  accessibility  and safety, Reducing delays and improving long-term transit planning to meet future population growth.

I will not raise fares if elected.

The cost of thee TTC must be covered fully by the three levels of government so that there is no fare collected at the box.  This will allow people to get to work and shop, their children to get to school, faster, more efficient travel as both front and back doors can be opened and there will be no delay while people tap (often multiple times)) their Presto card and tourists will be attracted to Toronto thereby creating more business, and jobs.  

Yes to local TTC accountability and to seeking sustainable senior-government funding, but not a blank cheque. Fiscal discipline at the TTC means scrutinizing waste and requiring competent delivery. Safety on the system comes first. I support rider-safety measures such as platform edge doors and state-of-good-repair work when delivered competently, without inventing a price tag or a broader megaproject pledge.