List of TTC service cuts kept secret before City Budget vote, documents show

More service cuts starting May 7 will affect 14 routes, according to documents obtained by TTCriders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Toronto, ON) – Transit riders will be waiting longer for the Line 1 subway starting May 7, 2023, according to draft TTC service memos obtained by transit advocacy group TTCriders through a Freedom of Information request. Fourteen TTC routes will see service reductions, including the 506 streetcar, 512 streetcar, and bus routes across Toronto. 

“Toronto’s next Mayor needs to raise revenues to reverse service cuts, and the provincial and federal governments need to chip in now to save the TTC from even deeper cuts,” said Line 1 user and TTCriders volunteer Susanna Hermanns. “Students like me rely on the TTC every day and these cuts mean being late for class and less time for studying and working. These service cuts add up when you miss your connecting bus or streetcar.” 

“It is concerning that information about the impacts of TTC service reductions was not made public before the TTC Board, the Budget Committee, and City Council debated the budget, even though this information was available. When I requested this information at the Special TTC Board Meeting in January, I was told it was not available. The public expects and deserves greater transparency and accountability," said Councillor Chris Moise (Ward 13 - Toronto Centre).

“Cuts to Line 1 and other routes will discourage me from taking transit as much,” said transit user and TTCriders volunteer Chloe Tangpongprush, who takes Line 1 regularly. “I’ll feel less safe waiting in stations late at night if the train doesn’t come as frequently.” 

“TTC service cuts are leaving Torontonians waiting longer, late for work and school, and feeling less safe. Reducing TTC service disrupts people’s lives, doesn’t help attract new ridership, and is being felt most deeply by communities that were already underserved. We need new revenue sources and help from the provincial and federal governments to get Toronto moving. People in Toronto deserve a transit system that is reliable and safe,” said Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9 - Davenport).

Background: 

• Click here to view draft service memos obtained via FOI
• According to the draft service memo obtained by TTCriders, 14 routes will see reductions as of May 7, 2023: Line 1, 506 Carlton, 512 St Clair, 32 Eglinton West, 52 Lawrence West, 70 O’Connor, 73 Royal York, 76 Royal York South, 85 Sheppard East, 95 York Mills, 112 West Mall, 116 Morningside, 131 Nugget, 995 York Mills Express.
• TTC staff told City Councillors at the January 9, 2023 TTC Board meeting and a January 13, 2023 Budget Committee meeting that a list of service cuts would be available before Council voted on the 2023 budget on February 15, 2023 (meeting transcripts below).
• Documents received through a Freedom of Information request show that a first draft of service reductions planned for March 2023 was available on January 3, 2023 and a third draft was available on February 8, 2023, but these were not made publicly available. A first draft of service reductions planned for May 2023 were available on January 27, 2023. 
• The TTC is urging the federal and provincial governments to provide transit operating funding to fill its $366 million budget shortfall, according to a recent TTC report.

Select Schedule Changes According to Draft TTC Service Memos

City Council meeting transcripts about TTC service reductions: 

January 13, 2023 Budget Committee meeting

Timestamp (3:20:16): https://youtu.be/_uheqOwG2mg?t=12020 

Councillor Bravo: "At the [TTC] Commission meeting, Councillor Moise tried to ask for ridership data and a rationale in addition to details about proposed service hours and route service changes. During the budget process, or before we finish this process, will we receive information about changes to service, including any cuts, like where, when and how much? When can we expect that?” 

TTC staff Scott Haskill: “Through the Chair, yes, we expect to have a draft list of service changes for our March scheduling period available next week.”

January 9, 2023 TTC Board meeting (Operating & Capital budgets)

Timestamp (4:00:40): https://youtu.be/Rqd2_NYDQEQ?list=PLHk9W23ikE-tjFNy0StW5BJHJ690kTvDr&t=14440 

Councillor Moise: “On page 26, if you look at the chart there, the operating budget proposed a significant policy change to service planning standards without an official staff recommendation. Procedurally, does the TTC Board need to approve changes to its service standards? Would the Board require a staff recommendation or report to make an official change to its service standard?”

TTC staff Scott Haskill: “Through the Chair, it is our opinion that the staff can vary the standard as necessary in this situation and so that is what we are doing.”   

Councillor Moise: “Looking at this through an equity lens. You have determined through your proposed service hours change a preliminary list of potential changes to routes, including the level of service changes, with a route-by-route, time period by time period analysis along with ridership data to support these reductions? What are your thoughts about that?”

TTC staff Scott Haskill: “Through the Chair, we’ve not completed a list of reductions. We have to work well in advance as I think most people are aware. Our planners have been working away on a list of indicative reductions that we think we would need to do. One of the key things we want to do with these service changes is to incorporate in them all kinds of additional information and improvements such as new running times, changes to operations, changes to ends of lines. So as a result we still have work to do on those. We expect that we would implement these changes in two batches, in both our March and our May service changes. We’ll have the full details in a few weeks for the March, and in a few weeks after that for the May changes.” 

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