Toronto needs more and better transit, not less.

On January 8, 2012 Toronto transit riders can expect over 204,000 fewer bus and streetcar trips to service Toronto. This will create a feeling of all-day ‘rush hour’ as more people will be crammed into fewer buses and streetcars.

TTC managers identify these reductions as a “major service cut”.

This is in spite the Mayor’s explicit election assurance to Torontonians that “services will not be cut, guaranteed”.

The TTC service cut decision was made at the September 16, 2011 meeting of the TTC. The decision is a result of a directive by the Mayor’s office to cut 10% from each department, including the TTC. We have to stand up for Toronto transit riders.

I was the only TTC Commissioner to vote against these major service cuts to our buses and streetcars. In fact I moved a motion to reject the 10% cut to the TTC. My motion lost despite the fact that Torontonians want more and better transit, not less. Click here to watch my video from the September 16 TTC meeting.

This represents the second in a series of similar cuts in TTC services. As you may recall, on May 8, 2011, 41 bus routes were cut from TTC operations. This forced some in my community to now face kilometre-long late-night walks through dark streets. Click here to watch a video example of the walk some TTC riders now have to endure.

Demand for transit in Toronto is rapidly growing. Toronto experienced record ridership this year. In 2012, the TTC can expect to have 15 million more riders. A shrinking TTC service is not the answer. Bringing service levels to pre-2004 standards, as these current cuts do, is the wrong direction.

These major service cuts are unnecessary, unneeded, and irresponsible.

Service changes of this sort usually come by way of a report with recommendations to City Council. Council has the choice to then modify, adopt, or reject the recommendations. However, the move to cut 10% from each department was a directive given by the Mayor’s office, not Council or City Staff. No report came to council recommending these cuts. A 10% cut to these departments not only means fewer buses, it also means fewer library hours, fewer childcare spaces, fewer environment days, fewer seniors homes, fewer police, dirtier and snowier streets, etc.

The biggest cut to the TTC thus far was the Mayor’s move to ‘kill’ Transit City. This fully-funded shovel-ready plan to build many light rail lines across Toronto would have given many communities more and better transit. During his first day in office, the Mayor announced the plan as “dead” in preference for a privately-funded Subway along a shortened stretch of Sheppard Avenue East. This despite no vote coming to Council on the matter. The Mayor now seeks to use public funds to pay for this unproven subway line despite a promise that no tax dollars would go towards the project.

The communities along Finch almost had new rapid transit at their doorstep through the Transit City plan. Now they can expect over 16,000 less vehicle trips in 2012 and to feel rush-hour all day with these major service cuts. It is a tragic waste of an opportunity to give Toronto more and better transit.

The Toronto Board of Trade is in concert with demands that we need funding for more and better transit and transportation options to address an ever-increasing state of congestion on our roads.

I believe holding officials accountable to their promises is important. This is why as a Councillor I will fight these unnecessary cuts to our much-needed services and as a TTC Commissioner I will continue to stand up for TTC Riders.

More information on these cuts including affected routes can be found here.

Please join the TTC Riders campaign and help stand up for more and better transit in Toronto.

Regards,

-Maria