(Toronto, ON) – Over 75 residents rallied at the intersection of Yonge and Eglinton on February 19, 2025 to call for answers about the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRT projects and ask all provincial parties to commit to solutions for more reliable transit. Seven provincial election candidates in attendance signed an oversized cheque for TTC operations funding, against a backdrop of an oversized ribbon and scissors to symbolize opening the LRTs.
“Promised opening dates have come and gone, while transit costs have skyrocketed under Metrolinx. Transit riders are looking for answers and credible opening dates for the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRTs,” said TTCriders spokesperson Nigel Morton. “That’s why we are asking all provincial parties to give the TTC back control over running Toronto transit, to keep costs down and increase accountability.”
“TTCriders is asking every party to invest in running TTC service and new LRTs with a 50% operating subsidy for local transit systems. We’d also like to see investment in clearing the TTC’s repair backlog so that we can fix subway slow zones. Today, only 12.7% of the TTC’s 10-Year Capital Plan comes from the provincial government.”
“Residents of Jane and Finch are tired of waiting for better transit,” said Butterfly GoPaul of Jane-Finch Action Against Poverty. “Why is the Finch West LRT is still delayed? We need answers and we need provincial parties to commit to fund better service.”
“The issues that TTC riders are facing are in alignment to the success of the York-Eglinton West BIA, Little Jamaica, and our community. Our customers, our workers, our children, and our elderly all depend on the TTC and Wheel-Trans for their commutes daily. So I proudly support the TTCriders on these items that they are presenting on behalf of The York-Eglinton West BIA," said Jason McDonald, chair fo the York-Eglinton West BIA.
“It took me 1.5 hours by bus to get here today. It would have been much faster and more reliable if the promised LRTs were open today,” said Brian Ndobe Mukwelley, a spokesperson from Malvern resident group 42 Voices. “That’s why we are asking every provincial party to invest in building the Eglinton East LRT to connect Kennedy Station to Malvern, linking the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus and the future Scarborough subway extension at McCowan and Sheppard.”
The following seven provincial election candidates signed an oversized cheque to show their commitment to providing provincial funding for 50% of the TTC's operating subsidy (alphabetical by last name):
1. Jill Andrew (Toronto St Paul’s - NDP)
2. Mark Bekkering (Scarborough Southwest - Green)
3. Linnea Lofstrom-Abary (Don Valley West - NDP)
4. Jeanne McGuire (Humber River - Black Creek - Communist)
5. Stephanie Smyth (Toronto St. Paul’s - Liberal)
6. Chloe Tangpongprush (Toronto St Paul’s - Green)
7. Vince Gasparro (Eglinton Lawrence - Liberal)
TTCriders has circulated a questionnaire to all provincial parties, asking if they will commit to:
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Provide stable operations funding to run the TTC and new LRT lines, by establishing a new transit funding model in Ontario that renews provincial support for 50% of transit agency operating subsidies;
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Clear the TTC’s repair backlog by increasing capital funding to the TTC, so the agency can fix all slow zones;
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Give the TTC back control over running Toronto transit, to keep costs down and increase accountability;
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Invest in Toronto’s transit priorities including the Eglinton East LRT and Waterfront East LRT projects.
Link to rally photos (please attribute to Damian Baranowski): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TyuD7oBVOhQp8dB8iEEUQ36oOOoZU6ZJ?usp=drive_link