How have your Trustee candidates promised to improve transit?
TTCriders sent all TDSB and TCDSB candidates a 3-question survey. Scroll down to read their responses and pledge to vote on October 24!
You can find your Trustee candidates on the City of Toronto website. If your candidate does not appear below, it is because they have not completed the survey.
Public transit is an access to education, equity, and climate issue. Your Trustee can speak up in support of better transit for all.
The Toronto District School Board used to provide free TTC tickets to students in some specialized programs. After this support was discontinued in 2019 and 2020, TTCriders heard from teachers that some students stopped attending specialized programs.
The TTC is free to ride for children 12 years and younger, but many young people do not have or carry identification and high school students have reported to TTCriders that as younger teenagers they have experienced discrimination from fare enforcement based on race and age, and were challenged about their age.
Issue 1: Advocating for universal high school student transit access
1. Will you advocate to all three levels of government to fund free transit for high school students?
| Michelle Aarts (TDSB Ward 16) | Yasmin Aden (TDSB Ward 1) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Aaron Anderson (TDSB Ward 9) | Alexis Dawson (TDSB Ward 9) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Jo-Ann Davis (TCDSB Ward 4) | Matias de Dovitiis (TDSB Ward 4) |
|
Yes* |
Yes |
| Antonio DeMichele (TDSB Ward 9) | Liban Hassan (TDSB Ward 6) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Debbie King (TDSB Ward 7) | Gabriella Mazarakis (TDSB Ward 2) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Stephen Mensah (TCDSB Ward 9) | Robert McDermott (TDSB Ward 18) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Cameron Miranda-Radbord (TCDSB Ward 9) | Gurjeet Pabla (TDSB Ward 1) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Edith Pearson (TCDSB Ward 9) | Nicola Simpson (TDSB Ward 5) |
|
For special needs and low income students only |
Yes |
| Neel Venugopal (TDSB Ward 8) |
|
Yes |
*I will advocate for government to fund free transit for children up to 14 years of age (right now it's only to age 12 - most grade 8 students are 13 or 14 years of age), as well as high school students with accompanying student ID.
Issue 2: Speaking up for high quality public transit
2. Will you champion public transit funding and speak up for high quality service?
| Michelle Aarts (TDSB Ward 16) | Yasmin Aden (TDSB Ward 1) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Aaron Anderson (TDSB Ward 9) | Alexis Dawson (TDSB Ward 9) |
|
Funding is important, but we immediately need a safer experience for commuters, especially minors |
Yes |
| Jo-Ann Davis (TCDSB Ward 4) | Matias de Dovitiis (TDSB Ward 4) |
|
Yes* |
Yes |
| Antonio DeMichele (TDSB Ward 9) | Liban Hassan (TDSB Ward 6) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Debbie King (TDSB Ward 7) | Gabriella Mazarakis (TDSB Ward 2) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Stephen Mensah (TCDSB Ward 9) | Robert McDermott (TDSB Ward 18) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Cameron Miranda-Radbord (TCDSB Ward 9) | Gurjeet Pabla (TDSB Ward 1) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Edith Pearson (TCDSB Ward 9) | Nicola Simpson (TDSB Ward 5) |
|
This is not a Trustee responsibility |
Yes |
| Neel Venugopal (TDSB Ward 8) |
|
Yes |
Issue 3: Access to PRESTO tickets for school and student programs
3. Will you advocate to the provincial government, municipal government, Metrolinx, and Toronto Transit Commission to ensure a fair transition to PRESTO?
| Michelle Aarts (TDSB Ward 16) | Yasmin Aden (TDSB Ward 1) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Aaron Anderson (TDSB Ward 9) | Alexis Dawson (TDSB Ward 9) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Jo-Ann Davis (TCDSB Ward 4) | Matias de Dovitiis (TDSB Ward 4) |
|
Yes* |
Yes |
| Antonio DeMichele (TDSB Ward 9) | Liban Hassan (TDSB Ward 6) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Debbie King (TDSB Ward 7) | Gabriella Mazarakis (TDSB Ward 2) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Stephen Mensah (TCDSB Ward 9) | Robert McDermott (TDSB Ward 18) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Cameron Miranda-Radbord (TCDSB Ward 9) | Gurjeet Pabla (TDSB Ward 1) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Edith Pearson (TCDSB Ward 9) | Nicola Simpson (TDSB Ward 5) |
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Neel Venugopal (TDSB Ward 8) |
|
Yes |