A message from TTC CEO Rick Leary

TTC Board members had before them several major reports for approval earlier this week.

One key item on the June 12 agenda was a report on sustaining a reliable transit system. This report was presented as both an update and a look-ahead as we prepare for sustained TTC service for 2024 and beyond. The report highlights some significant challenges, both operating and capital, that require partnerships from all orders of government to ensure the benefits of public transit are fully realized.

Our funding partners at all levels will play a key role in the TTC’s future success, and we continue to have discussions with them to reinforce this.

I advised Commissioners, as well, that this fall we will bring forward a new Five-Year Corporate Plan and 2024 Annual Service Plan, which will outline strategic directions and recommendations leading to access to opportunity for everyone. This will also set the foundation for the TTC’s 2024 Budget process and the Five-Year Service Plan in early 2024.

I urge everyone to read the report, Sustaining a Reliable Transit System to Keep Toronto Moving: Outlook 2024 and Beyond.

Decommissioning of the SRT

As you all know, the Scarborough RT line is scheduled to be decommissioned before the end of the year. November 18 is the targeted final day for SRT train service. Express buses are scheduled to start running on November 19.

Kennedy Station will remain in service as an interchange station for subway trains and buses. Scarborough Centre Station will become a bus terminal. Lawrence East, Ellesmere, Midland, and McCowan stations will be permanently shut down.

The closure of SRT will require a very frequent bus replacement service for our customers until the opening of the Scarborough Subway Extension. A comprehensive communications plan to advise the public is already underway, which involves an array of tactics throughout the year to get the message out. Methods to inform riders include in-station signage and notices, both print and digital, system-wide; public address announcements in the subway; station pop-ups; social media posts and e-alerts; and SRT train wraps.

We will also be taking out paid newspaper ads (print and digital); ad space on the exterior of buses in Scarborough, billboards and transit shelters; ads in movie theatres and shopping malls, including windshield flyers; and direct mailers and advertisements in multiple languages, such as Cantonese, Mandarin, Tamil, Urdu and Hindi.

Construction notices will be distributed to customers, Councillors and residents in surrounding communities, and TTC staff will engage with people at community events to share details and answer questions one-on-one. I encourage everyone to visit the project website at ttc.ca/line3 and stay up to date on the latest details.

Please see below for more highlights of Commission decisions approved on June 12. The next Board meeting will take place on July 12.

Get involved

Attend a Sunrise Ceremony on Indigenous Peoples Day



On Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 5:30 a.m. at Hillcrest Complex (1138 Bathurst St.), TTC employees are invited to an opportunity to celebrate, learn about, and share Indigenous culture and ceremony. TTC vehicles wrapped with Indigenous art will also be on display. See the poster for the ceremony.

Get your camera ready for the United Way Photo Scavenger Hunt

When: Thursday, June 22, 2023, sign-in from 3-4 p.m.

Where: Hillcrest Complex (1138 Bathurst St.)

Tickets are $20 and include a BBQ. The winning team will also receive a prize! Participants must register by June 15. See the poster for more details and contact information.

Attend the TTC Pension Plan Annual General Meeting



The TTC Pension Plan Annual General Meeting is on Saturday, June 24, 2023. Visit ttcpp.ca/agm to register for the meeting and view the proposed Pension Plan updates. The TTC Sick Benefit Association meeting starts at the conclusion of the Pension Plan meeting.

Help shape transportation in Ontario

The Ministry of Transportation has launched The Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS), a voluntary survey for people living in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) and surrounding area to help plan improvements to road and transportation facilities for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and public transit users. For more information or to participate, visit TTS2023.ca. The survey is open to anyone living in Ontario and closes on June 30, 2023.

Come out to the Toronto vs. Boston baseball game on July 1

Come out to see the Toronto Blue Jays play the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Tickets are $110. To purchase tickets, contact Mark Reed (416-824-3006) or Rob Weeks (905-999-1215). See the poster for more details. 

Reserve a spot for go karting on July 8

When: Saturday, July 8, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Goodwood Kartways (5200 2nd Concession, Stouffville)

Tickets are $125 per person and include training, driving time, equipment and lunch. See the poster to reserve your spot and for more information.

Register a team in the 2023 TTC Recreation Council Softball Tournament

When: Saturday, July 22, 2023, registration begins at 7 a.m.

Where: Sesquicentennial Park (11333 Bramalea Rd., Brampton)

See the poster for information on how to register. Contact David McCollin (647-401-3430) if you have any questions.

Subway Transportation raises $925 for YouthLink in support of Mental Health Month

On May 19, TTC’s Subway Transportation Department organized two successful Mental Health Month events at Danforth and Wilson divisions. Wanting to give back to the community, employees from Subway Transportation held a BBQ to raise donations. Employees raised $925 for YouthLink, a charity that offers many youth-related mental health programs.

Pictured above, TTC employees and staff at Danforth Division’s event.  



Thank you Subway Transportation for your efforts and to everyone who donated!

TTC Community Bus service available to all customers

Did you know about TTC’s five Community Bus routes - 400 Lawrence Manor, 402 Parkdale, 403 Don Mills South, 404 East York, and 405 Etobicoke? This service connects customers to popular destinations along unique neighbourhood routes. The buses stop at the front door of various buildings and landmarks, including local shopping malls, grocery stores, community centres, healthcare facilities and seniors’ residences. 



The Community Bus is also a great alternative to the door-to-door Wheel-Trans service, allowing Wheel-Trans customers greater independence and flexibility since there is no need to book trips in advance. To learn more about the Community Bus service visit ttc.ca.

Safety and Environment Department celebrates employees’ long service milestones

This June, the Safety and Environment Department presented pins to several employees for their respective years of service:

• Catherine Drum, Safety Inspector – 5 years
• Dhruv Patel, Safety Assurance Officer – 5 years
• Bernice Jamieson, Safety Specialist – 5 years
• Shancel Mohammed, Safety Specialist – 5 years
• Mark Biamonte, Director Emergency Management and Fire Safety – 10 years
• Betty Hasserjian, Chief Safety Officer – 20 years
• Jim Balfour, Track Level Night Safety Officer – 25 years
• Nafeez Samad, Safety Assurance Officer – 30 years

Each of these exceptional employees has played an important role in upholding the highest standards of safety within the TTC. Congratulations and thank you for your many years of service!

Pictured above from left to right: Betty Hasserjian, Nafeez Samad, Andrew McKinnon (Director of Safety Engineering Services) and Rick Leary (TTC CEO).

Winners of TTC’s Youth Innovation Challenge advancing to next round of IYAI+’s Sustainable Mobility Career Awareness and Innovation Challenge

On May 30, two teams of TTC employees and co-op students presented their ideas for transit innovation to expert panelists from the TTC’s senior leadership. Both teams showed incredible thoughtfulness and professionalism in their presentations.

Pictured above from left to right, Program and Events Specialist Gaveen Weerasinghe, Office Services Assistant Aamina Bulbulia, Transit Scheduler Zachary Bedard, and Co-op Student Raina Marcynuk won the first round of the competition for their ideas to improve customer flow. They will advance to compete in the Introducing Youth to American Infrastructure (IYAI+) grand challenge against teams from transit agencies across North America later this month. 

Honourable mention goes to Matias Piccione, Warranty Administrator, who presented a proposal for an innovative Wheel-Trans customer assistance device on behalf of his team. 

This was the first annual TTC Youth Innovation Challenge. For future opportunities to participate as a youth innovator or as a mentor, please stay tuned!

For more information about IYAI+, please visit their website. 

TTC employees can get 25 per cent off at Mark's stores in Canada

From June 18 to July 1, 2023, TTC employees can receive 25 per cent off select brands and styles at any Mark's store across Canada. See the poster for the discount code and more information.

You can find tons of great deals like this one on the TTC Recreation Council's page on MyTTC | SAP Jam.

Mark your calendar

Events and observances from June 19 - July 2, 2023

June - Filipino Heritage Month, Italian Heritage Month, National Indigenous History Month/Indigenous Peoples Month, Portuguese Heritage Month, Pride Month

June 19 - Juneteenth

June 20 - World Refugee Day

June 21 - Summer Solstice

June 21 - National Indigenous Peoples Day

June 24 - Litha

June 27 - Canadian Multiculturalism Day

June 27 - Waqf al Arafa (Hajj) begins at sundown (Islam)

June 28 - Eid al-Adha begins (Islam)

June 28 - Stonewall Anniversary (U.S.)

June 28 - Waqf al Arafa (Hajj) ends (Islam)

July 1 - Canada Day

July 2 - Eid al-Adha ends (Islam)

See a list of all 2023 statutory holidays for non-union employees.

See all the 2023 observances in this year's desk calendar.

Looking to include a date in Mark Your Calendar? Email us at MyTTCWeekly@ttc.ca.

Employee spotlight 

Brent Stewart

Stations Supervisor, Stations

In 2018, Brent Stewart joined the TTC because he was looking for a workplace where he could establish himself while having a positive impact on the city he grew up in. 

Since joining, Brent has taken on different positions including Bus Operator at Birchmount Division, Streetcar Operator and Route Supervisor. Currently, Brent is a Stations Supervisor. In this role, he is responsible for the safety, courtesy and efficient management of the subway stations. His role also focuses on attending to any issues that arise such as medical emergencies, mechanical issues, large crowds and more.

No two days are alike for Brent. He likes to solve day-to-day problems that help employees and enhance customer experience. One of his stand-out moments was when he saw a dog on the subway tracks, and after working with various departments, Brent and the team involved were able to reunite the dog with its owner. 

“I like the challenges this role brings and I like knowing I’m supporting our customers and employees through what can sometimes be stressful situations.”

Outside of work, Brent enjoys golf, baseball and travelling.

Know someone you'd like to see featured in an Employee Spotlight?

Nominate TTC employees by e-mailing MyTTCWeekly@ttc.ca.

At the TTC, we are committed to helping you reach your professional goals through internal promotion and transfer opportunities. The Employee Career Centre allows current employees to apply for any available position.

The TTC is committed to fostering a positive workplace culture with a workforce that is representative of the communities it serves. Committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion, the TTC encourages applications from all qualified applicants. Accommodation is available for applicants of all abilities throughout the recruitment process.

New positions available:

CEO's Office

• Claims Adjuster (Req I.D. 7660)

Corporate Services

• Director, Financial Reporting & Systems (Req I.D. 7816)
• Manager, Business Management (Req I.D. 7843)
• Inventory Analyst (Req I.D. 7305)
• Director, Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis (Req I.D. 7861)
• Category Manager - Fleet Vehicles (Req I.D. 7266)

Diversity and Culture

• Manager, Human Rights (Req I.D. 7838)

Engineering, Construction and Expansion

• Design Architect (Req I.D. 7796)

Operations and Infrastructure

• Design Engineer, Track (Req I.D. 7754)
• Engineering Technologist-Track (Req I.D. 6361)
• Supervisor, Operational Safety & Planning (Req I.D. 7791)
• Design Engineer, Electrical and Traction Power (Req I.D. 7483)

Strategy and Customer Experience

• Revenue Equipment Attendant (Req I.D. 6627) 

Transportation and Vehicles

• Garage Foreperson (Req I.D. 7095)
• Manager, Corporate Deliverables (Req I.D. 7867)
• Foreperson, Rail Vehicles (Req I.D. 7108)

For more information and a list of all current job postings, visit the Employee Career Centre on MyTTC | Home. Log in with your MyTTC username and password.

Please contact Diversity and Culture – Talent Management at 416-393-4570 with any questions.

Expansion gets underway for Bloor-Yonge Station

By Daily Commercial News, June 12, 2023

"TORONTO — Bloor-Yonge Station, located at the intersection of Yonge and Bloor streets, will be undergoing a design retrofit and significant expansion.

The TTC’s Bloor-Yonge Station project includes the construction of a new Line 2 passenger platform and the expansion of both Line 1 passenger platforms, enhancements to the concourse level, entrances, exits and improved accessibility features."

Read the full article

City launches new online dashboard to track safety and security incidents on TTC

By Codi Wilson, CP24, June 12, 2023

"The City of Toronto has launched a new online dashboard that keeps track of safety and security incidents on public transit in Toronto.

The new tool, which went live on Monday, tracks a series of metrics related to safety on the TTC, including the rate of criminal offences against TTC customers, TTC employees, and the number of major offences that occur across all transit networks in the city."

Read the full article

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