Transit News

Commuters ask City Councillors to fund TTC streetcars, buses, and fare discounts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Commuters ask City Councillors to fund TTC streetcars, buses, and fare discounts

February 6th, 2020 (Toronto, ON) - TTC users around Toronto were greeted by advocacy group TTCriders today. Volunteers distributed thousands of flyers and urged commuters to contact their City Councillors about the 2020 City Budget.

“Toronto is running out of streetcars and buses,” said TTCriders spokesperson Milen Tewelde. “If City Council does not order the transit vehicles we need and invest more in operations, crowding and delays will get worse.” 

TTCriders is calling on City Councillors to order enough streetcars and buses and to increase TTC operations funding. The TTC requires 60 more streetcars and 1,575 additional buses just to maintain current service levels in the coming years. 

#FundtheTTC Day of Action: February 6th

Sign up to help TTCriders reach thousands of transit riders about the critical need for more TTC funding in the 2020 City Budget. We'll be asking riders to call their City Councillor and take a photo with our selfie frame.

Action: Toronto needs more streetcars & buses

(function(n,e,w,m,o,d){m=n.createElement(e);m.async=1;m.src=w; o=n.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];o.parentNode.insertBefore(m,o); })(document,'script','//engage.newmode.net/embed/1915/15874.js'); Toronto City Council must invest more in the transit budget this year so that these essential steps move forward: 

Budget Overview!

Here is some of the analysis and thinking we have been doing over the last week since the budget draft came out. In short, we have a lot of investments to make if the City is going to work, many of the items on it cannot be delayed further, and there are some sensible ways to fund them, but they need some shifts in approach. 

Speak up for better transit: City Budget 2020

Toronto City Council will soon be deciding how much funding to allocate to the TTC in the 2020 City Budget. This budget will impact our transit system for years to come. 

Toronto is running out of buses and streetcars. The TTC has a 5-Year Service Plan that won’t keep up with our growing city. And transit riders are facing fare increases, because the TTC does not receive enough funding from the City or other levels of government. 

Action: Tell the TTC Board to vote for transit priority

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Why do we need better transit?

Action: Lower fares vote on Thursday

The Executive Committee will vote this Thursday November 14th on the Poverty Reduction Strategy Action Plan, which includes the next phase of the Fair Pass TTC discount.

But 27% of people surveyed reported that they cannot afford to use the Fair Pass. And it could be years before the Fair Pass is fully implemented so that all eligible low income people can use it.

Residents rally for a transit plan, Ontario Line that works

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RELEASE: Residents rally for a transit plan, Ontario Line that works

 

October 23, 2019 (Toronto, ON) -- An alliance of residents and organizations rallied at City Hall on Wednesday October 23 to express concerns about the tentative transit deal between Premier Ford and Mayor Tory. While transit advocates say that abandoning the subway upload is a positive step, they remain concerned by dozens of unanswered questions about the Ontario Line, neighbourhood concerns, transit funding, and privatization. 

 

Residents rally for a transit plan, Ontario Line that works

RELEASE: Residents rally for a transit plan, Ontario Line that works

October 23, 2019 (Toronto, ON) -- An alliance of residents and organizations rallied at City Hall on Wednesday October 23 to express concerns about the tentative transit deal between Premier Ford and Mayor Tory. While transit advocates say that abandoning the subway upload is a positive step, they remain concerned by dozens of unanswered questions about the Ontario Line, neighbourhood concerns, transit funding, and privatization. 

We stopped the subway upload! Now Toronto needs a fair deal.

It’s official. Premier Ford will drop his plans to take over the existing TTC subway system. This is a huge win for transit riders - thank you for being part of it! Together with our allies, more than 10,000 of us sent messages to our MPPs and 100s of us volunteered to stop the subway upload over the past year.

Your guide to federal election transit promises

The October 21st federal election is your chance to vote for better public transit. Read TTCriders’ analysis below on the top transit issues facing Toronto, and what the federal parties are promising.

TTCriders launches “Fund Evasion” spoof campaign

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TTCriders launches “Fund Evasion” spoof campaign

October 10, 2019 (Toronto, ON) – TTCriders has launched a social media campaign to point the finger at the biggest “fund evaders” on the TTC: politicians who underfund public transit. The TTC receives the lowest subsidy per-rider compared to other major US and Canadian cities.

“It’s time to stop blaming individuals who can’t afford to ride transit,” said TTCriders member Ben Bilgen. “The real fund evaders are MPPs and City Councillors who consistently fail to fairly fund the TTC. Riders can do their part to combat fund evasion by calling their elected officials.”