February 21, 2025 (Toronto, ON) – TTCriders, a membership-based transit advocacy group, released the following statement in response to the release of the Ontario Liberal Party and Ontario NDP policy platforms:
“Transit riders have asked every provincial party to commit to open the LRTs and invest in running them with frequent, reliable service. What good are new transit lines if the TTC can’t afford to operate them? Provincial “New Deal” funding for the TTC will expire in 2027.
“Two Ontario Liberal candidates committed their support this week to invest in better transit service, so riders had been hoping to see a clear commitment in the Ontario Liberal platform to restore provincial operating funding to the TTC. The 2022 Liberal platform committed to provide $375 million per year in annual operations funding for Ontario transit agencies.”
“Transit riders applaud Liberal MPP candidates Vince Gasparro (Eglinton-Lawrence) and Stephanie Smyth (Toronto - St.Paul’s) for pledging to restore stable provincial transit operations funding, and we urge the Ontario Liberal party to clarify their transit funding commitment.”
“Transit riders applaud the Ontario NDP’s commitment to restore provincial funding of 50% of transit operating costs.”
“TTCriders was disappointed that the only transit operating expenses highlighted in the Ontario Liberal costed platform were special constables, which will not deliver better service or tackle the root causes of why unhoused people seek shelter on the TTC, and safety cameras, which are a capital expense. We are looking for clarity about whether the Liberal platform commits to restoring provincial funding of 50% of local transit operating costs.”
Over 75 residents attended a rally to open the Crosstown LRT on February 19, 2025. Transit riders called for answers about why provincially-owned LRTs are still not open and invited provincial parties to permanently fund the operating costs of new LRTs, clear the TTC’s repair backlog, give the TTC back control to run Toronto transit projects, and chip in to build the Eglinton East and Waterfront East LRTs. The provincial government used to provide 50% of the TTC's operating subsidy.
At the rally, the following seven provincial election candidates signed an oversized cheque to show their commitment to restore provincial funding for 50% of the TTC's operating subsidy (alphabetical by last name):
- Jill Andrew (Toronto St Paul’s - NDP)
- Mark Bekkering (Scarborough Southwest - Green)
- Linnea Lofstrom-Abary (Don Valley West - NDP)
- Jeanne McGuire (Humber River - Black Creek - Communist)
- Stephanie Smyth (Toronto St. Paul’s - Liberal)
- Chloe Tangpongprush (Toronto St Paul’s - Green)
- Vince Gasparro (Eglinton Lawrence - Liberal)
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Link to photos of 7 provincial candidates signing oversized cheque on February 19, 2025: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Kqqs-hwViK4fk28qBQ7nra2BN_o52vRS?usp=sharing
Link to 2025 Ontario Liberal platform: https://ontarioliberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/A-Plan-to-Do-More-For-You.pdf
Link to 2022 Ontario Liberal environment platform, which included a commitment to invest “$375 million in annual transit operating funding – supporting more routes, extended hours of service, improved accessibility and more intercity connections”: https://ontarioliberal.ca/environment-plan/
Link to 2025 NDP platform: https://www.ontariondp.ca/sites/default/files/ontario_ndp_platform.pdf