The TTC is trying to root out internal fraud and theft through the launch of a new whistleblower program that will allow its 13,000 employees to anonymously report unethical or illegal behaviour by co-workers or TTC contractors.

Transit workers will be notified Monday of the new $33,000 “Integrity” program whereby they can write, phone or email their suspicions of wrongdoing to ClearView Strategic Partners, a Toronto consultant group, to trigger an investigation.

“The $33,000 cost is a justified expense if it means preventing or detecting fraud and theft, as well as rooting out the few bad apples that do real and serious harm to our reputation and reputation of all public servants,” wrote CEO Andy Byford in a memo to TTC board members.

The Integrity initiative takes place as the TTC is strengthening its other whistleblower and fraud/theft policies, he said.

Spokesman Brad Ross denied the impetus for the new program was the January firing of eight transit enforcement officers. Five of them were arrested for allegedly writing fake tickets to homeless people to make it appear they were working when they weren’t really on the job.

But, he said, “We’ve had occasion where employees have breached codes of conduct, doing things with contractors that they ought not to do. There have been instances where we catch these and the system works but we think there may be more and we want to get to them more quickly, get better information so investigations can be wrapped up more quickly.”

In June, 2011, a TTC manager, his wife and son as well as the owner of IPAC Paving were charged in connection with an alleged fake invoice and paving scheme at TTC bus stations. Other incidents have involved fare theft by a bus driver and subway collector.

The Integrity program is similar to the Toronto auditor-general’s Fraud and Waste hotline that allows employees and the public to report misuse of city resources. The difference, said Ross, is that the TTC is using a third party to act as a reporting agent.

“We are entrusted with $1.5 billion every year so we have a responsibility and a duty to protect the taxpayers’ money,” he said.

The Integrity initiative is not designed for public use. The TTC’s public complaints process, its internal grievance procedures and human rights processes remain unchanged according to Byford’s memo.

Both he and Ross said they expect the program will boost TTC employee morale.

“When these news stories go public, that hurts everybody’s reputation. It paints everybody with the same brush,” said Ross. “If we can get to the cases more quickly and nip them in the bud and have employees bring these cases to light, it improves the organization’s reputation.”

Under its contract with ClearView, the TTC is prohibited from knowing the identity of employees who report their suspicions. The employee simply goes on the website, logs in with a password and makes a report. They can also write or call a tip line. The advantage of the email system is that investigators can follow up with specific questions, said Ross.

TTC workers’ union president Bob Kinnear could not be reached on Sunday.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Transit board member, Councillor Maria Augimeri (Ward 9 York Centre), who opposed the TTC’s contracting out of bus-cleaning jobs, said she “very cautiously” supports the policy — on paper.

“I’ve heard stories of people who have made use of a whistle blower policy and lived to regret it,” she said, adding that 99 per cent of TTC workers are “top-notch” employees.