Toronto Transit Commission Chair Jamaal Myers has issued a clear directive: the TTC must prioritize attracting more passengers. This call to action comes as the financially strained transit agency formally requests a substantial $1.5 billion in funding from the City of Toronto.
A Critical Funding Request Amid Ridership Challenges
Speaking with reporters on January 7, 2025, Myers framed the massive funding ask within the context of the system's fundamental purpose—serving the public. While the financial injection is critical for maintaining and improving operations, Myers emphasized that simply securing funds is not enough. The commission must concurrently work to reverse ridership trends that have yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels.
"We need to work on attracting more riders," Myers stated, pinpointing a core challenge for North America's third-largest transit system. The requested $1.5 billion is intended to address a significant operating shortfall, preventing severe service cuts that would further deter potential passengers.
The Dual Path Forward: Financial Stability and Service Quality
The TTC's strategy now appears to be two-pronged. The immediate need is to secure the city funding to stabilize its budget and maintain current service levels. The parallel, long-term objective is to implement initiatives that make transit a more attractive option for Torontonians.
This likely involves a focus on service reliability, safety, cleanliness, and overall customer experience. Without improvements in these areas, any marketing efforts to boost ridership may fall flat. The funding request, therefore, is not seen as an end in itself but as a necessary foundation for the broader goal of revitalizing the transit network.
Broader Context for Toronto's Transit
The appeal for funds and the focus on ridership arrives at a pivotal moment for transportation in Canada's largest city. Congestion, climate goals, and urban growth all hinge on a functional and appealing public transit system. Myers's comments signal an acknowledgment that the TTC's success must be measured not just in dollars balanced, but in the number of people it successfully and efficiently moves each day.
The coming months will reveal how the city responds to the $1.5 billion ask and what specific plans the TTC unveils to win back and attract new riders in a competitive transportation landscape.
