TTC riders petition for transit funding

A campaign launched by the Toronto and York Region Labor Council is calling for the restoration of provincial funding of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to the level it was before drastic cuts were made in the 1990s.

According to the Toronto Star, about 200,000 petitions have been distributed with 19,000 signatures returned so far.

Since the cuts were made — reportedly 75% of capital costs and 50% of operational spending — the TTC has relied almost entirely on fares and city subsidies. Due to major government budget shortfalls, the TTC, which transports approximately 1.3 million riders daily, has had to provide the same services with less money.

“We are the most underfunded transit system in North America, and I would say the world,” said Howard Moscoe, chair of the TTC.