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Councillor Josh Matlow with TTCriders Executive Director, Shelagh Pizey-Allen[/caption]
As 2017 draws to a close, it’s time to recognize those who have been a strong voice for transit riders. On behalf of TTCriders, I am proud to award Josh Matlow as our Transit Champion of the Year. For not only is he the hardworking councillor for Ward 22 - St. Paul’s, he is one of City Council’s strongest transit advocates.
TTCriders and the Fair Fare Coalition were shocked to learn yesterday that the 2018 preliminary Toronto city operating budget does not include funding for two widely-supported transit initiatives promised by Mayor Tory: two-hour transfers and the Fair Fare Pass.
Thanks for joining us at City Hall to deliver our "Woes on the Bus" to the 2018 TTC budget vote. Today, we won two-hour fare transfers! But we lost out on better service.
Thank you to all of the great speakers who joined us:
On November 28, the TTC Board will vote on the operating budget, which will determine service levels for 2018. Time-based fare transfers will also be on the agenda.
Join us at City Hall to call for a fairly funded TTC, so that riders get better service and lower fares. The 2018 operating budget will not increase service, fix overcrowding, or reduce fares. You can read our take on the budget here.
The 2018 TTC budget was released yesterday afternoon and the take-home message is that riders are facing high fares, overcrowding, and long wait times in 2018. John Tory has failed to deliver on his promise to fix transit.
*SCROLL DOWN TO SEND A MESSAGE TO MAYOR TORY AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*
On Tuesday, October 24, Executive Committee will be voting on Agenda Item 28.6: Advancing Fare Integration, which approves of the provincial government paying for a $1.50 fare discount for riders who transfer between GO and the TTC. This means a rider who uses GO or the Union Pearson Express will pay $1.50 to board the TTC instead of $3.00, and the discount works the other way as well. This discount is part of Metrolinx's fare integration plan to harmonize fare systems across the GTHA.
Thank you all of you who joined us for our Ride for Respect rally from Queen's Park to City Hall today. We had so much fun!
We are calling for more funding for the TTC from all levels of government so the TTC can provide more service on all routes, two-hour fare transfers, and a truly affordable low-income pass that would let social assistance recipients ride for free, and riders earning less than $23,000 a year pay $50 a month or $1 a ride.
Transit advocacy group, TTCriders, wants City Council and the Provincial Government to stop starving the TTC and fully fund the agency’s 10 year capital plan, which was debated and approved today.