Will candidates commit to a safe TTC for all?
While violence and offence rates on the TTC have declined, and fewer complaints are being made, public perception of safety has not caught up with these trends. We often hear from riders that they continue to view the TTC as an unsafe environment, and it's often mentioned as a real barrier to taking transit more often.
That said, TTCriders believe that improving safety must include non-enforcement as the default response. We hear again and again that the increased presence of police, fare inspectors, and special constables do not make many people feel safer, while raising concerns about the effectiveness of enforcement and who is disproportionately targeted or overrepresented in these interactions, particularly Black, Indigenous, unhoused, and other vulnerable riders.
In contrast, riders have identified community ambassadors, Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS), and greater visibility of TTC staff as actions that make them feel safer. For many riders, however, safety is also about having the infrastructure and conditions to protect themselves in the first place: better lighting in dark and isolated areas, more frequent service, safer places to wait and take shelter, and a TTC environment designed around care, accessibility, and dignity. The TTC needs to be safe for everyone, as everyone has a right to use it, and everyone deserves to be approached with compassion, prevention, and resources. Here's what we asked candidates:
16. Will you support continued expansion of the Toronto Community Crisis Service throughout the TTC network?
The Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) provides a non-police response to people experiencing mental health crises, connecting them with trained crisis workers who can provide de-escalation, harm reduction, crisis intervention and connections to community supports. Following a pilot in downtown subway stations, this care-centred approach is set to expand to all subway stations in 2027, giving the TTC another option for responding to people in crisis without relying solely on police or enforcement.
| Stephen Holyday (Incumbent) |
No response |
| Katie Andrachuk |
Yes |
|
Jennifer Alexander
|
Yes |
17. Will you work towards installing platform edge doors across the subway system, starting with installation at busy stations like Bloor-Yonge Station this term?
Platform edge doors separate people and other debris from track level, keeping riders safe and service reliable. This means an 85% reduction in service interruptions, and countless lives saved. Cities around the world have installed platform edge doors in their existing subway systems, now it’s Toronto’s turn.
| Stephen Holyday (Incumbent) |
No response |
| Katie Andrachuk |
Yes |
|
Jennifer Alexander
|
Yes |
18. Will you commit to more upstream solutions, such as more shelters, affordable, deeply affordable and supportive housing so Torontonians never have to choose the TTC as a safe place to sleep?
| Stephen Holyday (Incumbent) |
No response |
| Katie Andrachuk |
Yes |
|
Jennifer Alexander
|
Yes |