Toronto needs new subway trains and federal transit funding ASAP. The federal government has not chipped in yet, but there is a federal by-election in Toronto-St. Paul's on Monday, June 24, 2024.
Can you contact your federal candidates today?
Call or email now! Ask your candidates if they will commit to investing in Toronto's transit needs.
"My name is ______. I live in Toronto-St. Paul’s and I will be voting in the by-election.
I am calling to ask whether you will commit to investing in Toronto's transit needs and new subway trains. This issue matters to me because I use the TTC and I’m tired of the regular subway shutdowns and delays.
I look forward to hearing back from you about this before I vote."
Can you help us spread the word to more transit riders?
Join TTCriders this week as we pass out flyers with information about how to contact federal candidates to commit to funding Toronto's transit needs.
We'll bring the flyers: you just need to show up!
St. Clair Subway Station
Thursday, June 20th, 7:30am-9:00am
RSVP here.
St. Clair West Subway Station
Thursday, June 20th, 4:30pm-6:00pm**
RSVP here.
Davisville Subway Station
Friday, June 21st, 7:30am-9:00am
RSVP here.
Summerhill Subway Station
Friday, June 21st, 4:30pm-6:00pm**
RSVP here.
**On Thursday and Friday afternoon, we will pass out flyers at the subway station for 30 minutes, then door-knock along nearby streets.
Learn more
Why does the TTC need new subway trains?
The subway trains on Line 2 are reaching the end of their life, and new trains for Line 1 are needed for future capacity. Without funding now, there won’t be enough subway trains available for when the Yonge North Subway Extension or Scarborough Subway Extension open.
Without federal funding for new trains, service will become more crowded and less reliable: Transit users will experience more subway delays, on top of the slow zones and regular shutdowns we are already dealing with.
By 2041, the TTC subway is projected to carry over 2 million riders per day. Without new trains, there will not be enough subway trains to keep up with the number of riders in the future, leading to overcrowding and disruptions.
What happens if my MP does not chip in for new trains?
The longer we wait to order, the more expensive the trains will get. If federal MPs do not chip in by early 2024, the cost to replace aging Line 2 subway trains will increase by half a billion dollars, and the TTC will miss the chance to add sliding safety doors at the edge of subway platforms on Line 2. Last year on June 23rd, 2023, the TTC canceled its previously-issued Request for Proposals for new subway trains, due to a lack of secured funds to procure the trains.
A recent TTC staff report updates the total cost of new subway trains to be between $3.23 billion to $3.74 billion, depending on how early funding is acquired. Without funding support from all levels of government in early 2024, the cost of replacing aging Line 2 trains could increase dramatically, and require costly measures to extend the life of aging trains and systems.
The City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario have already chipped in their part to fund the $3.2 billion cost of new subway trains. Now the federal government needs to step up.
Why should the federal government help?
With investment from the federal government, the TTC could increase service on subways, streetcars, and buses -- and make transit more affordable.
The good news is that the federal government has announced a Permanent Public Transit Fund. But the funding will not start until 2026. Transit agencies across Canada are asking the federal government to make this support available sooner.
Why should the federal government provide operating funding?
A new report from Environmental Defence and Équiterre found that Canada can double public transit ridership by 2035 if federal and provincial governments step up investments in expanding transit service hours and frequency, implement bus lanes and improve urban planning to encourage more housing density near transit.
Right now, transit agencies and cities are not allowed to use federal dollars to run more bus, subway, and streetcar service, or to complete preventative maintenance work; federal funding is only used for capital projects like buying new vehicles or building new transit lines.
This means new streetcars and buses could sit empty in the garage! This is why we are calling on MPs to speed up the Permanent Public Transit Fund and allow cities to use it to operate transit.
Why will calling my MP help?
All political parties are paying attention to the by-election in Toronto-St. Paul's. The more transit riders who call candidates now, the more that political parties will make investing in Toronto's transit needs a priority. Call your candidates today!
