(Toronto, ON) – Transit users, transit workers, and experts from community organizations held a public dialogue on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 at Centennial College - Progress Campus.
Over 200 people attended online and in person to share their ideas about how to create a safer public transit system for everyone. Toronto City Council will vote on its 2023 budget on February 15, 2023.
Shelagh Pizey-Allen, executive director of the advocacy group TTCriders, would like to see Toronto do something similar, rather than adding more police.
"We have been hearing loud and clear from Black and Indigenous and racialized transit users that special constables do not make them feel safe," she said.
"Having more supportive staff around, more presence, is important, but why not expand supportive staff roles," Pizey-Allen asked. "What about creating a welcoming staff role, someone you can go up to and ask for directions?"
For its part, in a statement to CBC News, the TTC says safety is one of its top priorities and acknowledges that increasing special constables, security, police presence and uniformed staff alone won't address the problem.
A commercial parking levy tops the list of possible new revenue tools the city will be exploring amidst its budget woes.
TTCriders advocate for revenue alternatives to increased fares and cuts to services.
TTCriders speak out on improving safety on the TTC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Volunteers blitz transit users to reverse TTC service cuts
TTC users were greeted at 20+ transit stops across Toronto on Thursday. Volunteers distributed thousands of flyers with instructions to call Mayor John Tory about proposed cuts, fare increases, and a commercial parking levy to fund climate and transit.
TTCriders on CityNews explains that investment in TTC service and community supports will make the TTC and our city safer.
While advocacy group TTCriders echoed Ford by calling Tory’s plan a “bandage solution,” they also suggested that an increased police presence doesn’t get to the root cause of the issue. They say the real problem is a lack of support for those experiencing homelessness and people with severe mental health issues.
“Police don’t address the root causes of violence,” says TTCriders spokesperson Shelagh Pizey-Allen. “Police cause harm to Black, Indigenous and racialized people.”
She argues the extra officers will actually make many people feel less safe on transit.
The service will aim to have upwards of 80 police officers in place throughout the city’s transit locations every day. Adding more police to the system is not the right approach to support people who are in crisis.
Toronto police say they will increase their daily presence on the TTC starting immediately as a direct response to public safety concerns. This is only a bandage solution to a problem that has been going on for decades.
In response to recent violent incidents on public transit and proposed TTC service cuts, transit users, transit workers, and other experts will come together at a joint event to explore proactive solutions.
