Thread by @ttcriders

We're here at the TTC Board Meeting this morning, January 8!

We will be live tweeting this meeting!

Currently, we are going through a slidedeck about TTC data from 2022 and the operating budget and priorities for 2023 /1

as a reminder, we have covered the changes happening in this operating budget on our website including service cuts, fare hikes, and increased policing budget - seen here:

ttcriders.ca/2023ttccuts
/2

Deputations have begun!

Adam Cohoon says "the TTC is not really invested in all in trying to figure out a path to get the TTC to work with new technology" - that buttons used to connect riders to customer service and staff during emergencies are not accessible for everyone /3

Jennifer Conroy speaks on the Family of Services program for Wheel-Trans users: "customers end up waiting 2-3 hours for a ride when getting to and from medical appointments"

Jennifer says incoming cuts to TTC service will make it nearly impossible to get to places on time!

/4

Vincent Puhakka is up! He says "The 116 runs every 10 minutes or better everyday. This allowed so much freedom to get around without a car...this tax funded public service gives freedom to people" - highlighting the importance of protecting service and keeping fares low

/5

Calum says "I am not working - adding 10 cents to the fare will add up for me"

at the same time, "countless numbers of people who are unhoused need access to services" who will be hurt most by cuts

/6

Debbie Solar is up next.

Debbie also uses a walker, and says it is difficult to navigate crowded buses and trains. Overcrowding is a critical accessibility concern /7

Next up is Shelagh:

"all of my personal experiences with harassment have happened late at night" - more service would help

"we need to be winning back riders with more frequent service, lower fares.." /8

on the Fair pass+fares:

"the Fair pass was designed to be funded through the city, so that the discount isn't paid for by other riders"

The city can implement revenue tools that could generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the TTC, rather than fare increases /9

Cllr Moise asks: Why do you think uptake of the Fair Pass is so low?

Shelagh says there is a big barrier to who actually knows about the discount.

Also, only $2m are budgeted for 50,000 people on the fair pass this year, but this seems to assume that uptake will be very low/10

Cllr Burnside asks: Would there be a greater impact to ridership by the 10 cent hike or safety?

Shelagh says: Every piece that is carving away overall ridership is reducing safety - and this includes raising fares /11

Ellen Peters says: To combat homelessness, we don't only need affordable housing but also affordable transit too! /12

Jan Cheng is next. He says when he waits for the 35 Jane bus at Pioneer village in the evening, it is often too crowded to use. So why cut service?

/13

Bob Murphy says he is an outreach worker that relies on the TTC for everything. Many people are not aware of the Fair Pass. Many people are not showing up at outreach programs because of the high cost of transportation!

/14

Arushi is a Grade 8 student and says many bus stops are in a state of disrepair, and provide no good shelter. Arushi says many schoolkids have no choice but to take the TTC, and to reduce transit service is plain wrong. We need affordable, frequent and safe public transit! /15

Brad Pearson says he uses the night service - and that night service is infrequent, and crowded. After dealing with standing room only buses, Brad has to endure 8 hours standing at work.

/16

Ezra de Leon is from Jane and Finch - where a lot of essential workers depend on the TTC during off-peak hours. Ezra says making people pay more and wait longer will reduce access to those jobs.

/17

Krissan Veerasingam says "at a time when we need more people to take transit, service cuts and raising fares will chase people away", especially considering climate concerns.

/18

Krissan also cites the importance of frequent service at night to improve safety, and the benefits of bus lanes - as he would be anxious when waiting at lonely bus stops at night during trips to university in Scarborough

/19

Alison Stewart says that a commercial parking levy could raise hundreds of millions per year to improve the TTC and that we should use city tools to improve the TTC rather than raising transit fares

/20

Aaaand now we're on recess! we'll be back soon after a short break

/21

We have resumed!

Megan Davies says penalizing measures from policing are costly to communities. More staff presence and an increase in service would contribute much more to providing safety.

"The TTC should be safe, dignified and accessible to everyone, without policing" /22

Cllr Burnside asks if there is any place for police in the transit system at all?

Megan outlines that a big issue is that $2.4 million is being invested in police constables while only $1 million is invested in Streets to Homes workers
/23

Cristina is up next!

She says if there is no trust in the TTC, people will turn to rideshare services and driving. By cutting transit service in her area, there will be more traffic which can have impacts such as increasing the time for emergency vehicles to access the area /24

The final speaker, Almasi, says that these proposed changes will do more harm to the working class, the homeless and other vulnerable groups.

And that is the end of the deputations /25

Now Councillors are moving motions, this first one from @ChrisMoiseTO is to cancel the #TTC fare increase and restore service levels back to pre-pandemic levels, and more. /26

Councillor Moise's motions also ask for a staff report to explain the route-by-route impacts of proposed service cuts. Councillor Moise: "the most vulnerable among us will be feeling the brunt of these cuts." #ttc #topoli /27

Chair Burnside says the cost of Cllr Moise's proposal to restore pre-pandemic service would be approximately $61 million and reversing the fare increase, $16 million (total of $77 million) /28

All motions moved by Councillor Moise were voted down. Dozens of transit users spoke up to #TTC Board members about how cuts will impact them. It's not too late to speak up! Council will vote on the City Budget on February 14, and there will be more chances to take action /29

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