Unions, homeowners, TTC riders: Who wins, who loses with Olivia Chow’s new spending plans?
Ben Spurr and Ben Cohen of the Toronto Star report on the 2025 City Budget. TTC riders are considered winners due to the investments being made in transit!
What did TTC riders get in the 2014 City Budget process?
On January 29th and 30th, Toronto City Council met to deliberate and finalize
the City Budget for 2014, which included deciding how much funding the TTC
receives. TTCriders has been very active in this budget process, making it loud
and clear that the TTC's current funding structure -- relying on increasing
rider fares to fund 70% of the operating budget -- is unfair and unsustainable.
TTCriders packed the room and presented powerful
deputations to the TTC Board
in November, and to the Budget Committee in December of 2013, and has been busy
attending various Councillor's budget town halls throughout the city in recent
months. On January 29, TTCriders' activity culminated in a well-attended and
enthusiastic
rally at City Hall
to ensure the TTC receives the funding it requires, as the least-subsidized
transit system of its kind in North America.
> Pushing the Province for More Funding
TTCriders worked with Councillor Mihevc to put forward a motion to "develop an
intergovernmental campaign to advocate for a Provincial operating subsidy in
line with pre-1995 levels." Mihevc noted that the Province formerly paid half of
the operating subsidy for the TTC, urged a return to that because since then,
"we have not gotten a single penny from the Province for the operating subsidy
of the TTC". This motion received extremely strong support from Council.
TTCriders will work with this newly-formed advocacy effort, and continue to push
our Fair Deal for Riders demands.
TAKE ACTION: Let the Province and your MPP know that the TTC needs more Provincial funding. Sign our Fair Deal for Riders petition.TTCriders demands TTCriders asked the City to return to 2010 subsidy-per-rider levels -- which have dropped in recent years, despite increasing ridership. If the City were to contribute $0.90 per rider, rather than the $0.78 it contributed in 2013, the TTC would receive an additional $70 million in much-needed funding. With an expected 540 million riders in 2014 -- up 12 million from last year -- it is a modest request that amounts to a lot. Montreal and Vancouver receive $1.16 and $1.62 per rider respectively. The TTC also requires the Province to step in and pay its fair share of funding. The Province used to contribute about half of the TTC's operating costs, but no longer does, since the devastating cuts of the Harris government in the 1990s. TTCriders' Fair Deal for Riders campaign asks the Province to contribute $700 million annual to operating the TTC, which could increase overall service by 25% -- especially important as ridership grows beyond initial projections, resulting in slow and overcrowded trips -- and decrease fares by 20-cents, which is significant because both 2015 and 2016 are expected to see 10-cent fare increases, according to a budget presentation by the City's Chief Financial Officer on January 29. City Budget Outcomes While the fare increases we saw implemented at the beginning of the year -- a $5.25 increase in the cost of a monthly Metropass (bringing the total to $133.75) and a 5-cent increase in the cost of tokens (each are $2.70 now), both of which punish the most loyal riders who rely on the TTC -- remain intact, there is a great deal of indication that TTCriders key issues are being heard. But there is still a lot of work to be done. > Increased City Subsidy In 2014, the TTC will be receiving a $22 million increase in the funding it receives from the City as compared to 2013. Since 2010, the City's contribute has declined or been frozen, so this increase represents something quite hopeful -- however, the $0.80 contribution per ride is a far cry from the $0.90 TTCriders has asked for. That's the amount that would truly make a difference. This increase does not ease the burden on riders who are paying more this year.
| Increasing Ridership: ◦ 462 Million (2010) ◦ 487 Million (2011) ◦ 503 Million (2012) ◦ 528 Million (2013) ◦ 540 Million (2014, est) | City Contribution: ◦ $430 Million (2010) ◦ $429 Million (2011) ◦ $411 Million (2012) ◦ $411 Million (2013) ◦ $433 Million (2014) | Contribution Per Rider ◦ $0.93 (2010) ◦ $0.88 (2011) ◦ $0.82 (2012) ◦ $0.78 (2013) ◦ $0.80 (2014) |
(Graphic from Matt Elliott)
> Moving Toward Deeper Fare Discounts for Those in Need As a part of its Fair Deal for Riders campaign, TTCriders has asked for deeper fare discounts for those in need. Councillor Mihevc has also shared TTCriders concern of fare affordability, and he introduced a motion to explore options that address affordability issues for "low and moderate income Torontonians" that may result in fare discounts as the Presto fair system is implemented. This research effort will proceed in preparation for next year's city budget process. Let's wait and see how riders will benefit. [gallery ids="3264,3263"]Latest posts
What's in the 2025 TTC Operating Budget?
Read analysis from TTCriders about what's being proposed in the TTC budget in 2025 and how to get involved! Members of the public can speak directly to City Councillors during budget hearings on January 21 and 22 at locations across Toronto.
TTCriders welcomes TTC plans for fare freeze, service restoration, state of good repair investment
TTCriders reaction to the release of the 2025 TTC budget.