risk.
The TTC had already allocated $222 million of the provincial funding to ensure
the TTC is accessible:
$200 million allocated to Easier Access III
-
A program to upgrade 27 TTC subway stations that are not fully
accessible before 2025.
-
Estimated cost to complete the program is $590 million (provincial
contribution is 33% of total program cost).
$22 million allocated to purchase new Wheel Trans buses
-
Wheel Trans provides over 4 million trips each year to ensure everyone has
safe access to transit.
-
Estimated cost of new Wheel Trans buses over the next 10 years is $71
million (provincial contribution is 31% of total bus purchase cost).
We need a fully accessible TTC and a properly funded Wheel-Trans service!
What we can do:
1. Please sign the open letter on behalf of your organization before
April 30th! (submit form below) 2. Share this information with as many agencies and
organizations as possible. 3. Speak out about how these cuts
might impact you or a member of your community. Share your story with
[email protected].
Open Letter:
Dear Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Transportation Jeff Yurek, We are
writing to express our concern about the major cuts to public transit funding
across Ontario proposed in the 2019 Provincial Budget. These cuts, which amount
to 1.1 billion dollars over the next 10 years
[1]
for Toronto alone, will do harm to our communities. During the 2018
provincial election campaign your government made a promise to honour the
planned funding increase to transit agencies across the province.
The Toronto Transit Commission is relying on this funding to ensure that
our transit system is fully accessible. A total of $222 million of this funding
has already been earmarked to fund the TTC’s Easier Access III program, which
includes elevator upgrades, and the next purchase of Wheel Trans buses
[2]. Without the promised increase in provincial funding, there is a significant
risk that the TTC will not be able to meet the provincial mandate to create a
barrier-free and accessible transit system by 2025
[3]. The announcement of a review of the existing gas tax program also concerns
us. It is imperative that current funding levels are preserved and that
municipalities have control over how transit funds are spent. We urge you to
keep your promise to increase transit funding to over 100 Ontario
municipalities, to ensure that everyone can enjoy a safe and accessible transit
system. Yours sincerely,
SIGN FORM BELOW:
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Sources:
[1]
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-132117.pdf
[2] GAS TAX FUNDING FOR TTC'S
2019-2028 STAFF RECOMMENDED CAPITAL BUDGET AND PLAN
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-130188.pdf
[3]Ontario has set standards for accessibility under the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. The Integrated
Accessibility Standards Regulation (Ontario Regulation 191/11), under the act,
includes accessibility standards for Customer Service, Information and
Communications, Employment, Transportation and the Design of Public Spaces.
These important standards are designed to create a barrier-free and accessible
Ontario by 2025. TTC 10-Year Capital Plan:
https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2019/January_24/Reports/10_TTC_15_Year_CIP_2019_2028_Capital_Budget.pdf
About Easier Access III:
https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Projects/Easier_Access/index.jsp
About Wheel Trans service:
http://www.ttc.ca/WheelTrans/About_Wheel-Trans/index.jsp
Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act:
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/05a11#BK0