Advocacy groups concerned as TTC fare inspectors, special constables will be equipped with body-worn cameras starting in May
Incidents across the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) could be captured through a new lens as the City of Toronto's TTC board approved the use of body-worn cameras.
Starting in May, 20 special constables, 20 fare inspectors, and 14 special constable vehicles will be equipped with cameras.
In an interview with CTV News Toronto, Angela Gibson, the TTC's interim executive director of fare technology and system stewardship, said the transit agency came up with the policy after a 2017 ombudsman report recommended car cameras to increase transparency.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Many parts of the system already have video surveillance, and Gibson said that, through consultation, the TTC found benefits in giving body-worn cameras to staff.
"What our CCTV cameras don't show is the audio, and now, with body-worn cameras and in-car [cameras], we are able to capture that, and it becomes even greater transparency."
The city's TTC board chair approved the use of the cameras on Thursday. The nine-month pilot program costs $1.243 million. Gibson said that while it will be reviewed after nine months, it already has funds to carry the program forward.
Some groups are expressing concerns: those experiencing homelessness or mental health issues could become targets, whether racism and discrimination will come into play when a fare is being checked, or when exactly cameras will be turned on and off.
"It's not a prevention tool. It is a clean up the mess after the fact tool. That's not where we should be putting our resources and our time and our money," said Anna Willats, a member of the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition.
"The presence of (a) body-worn camera will inevitably and by design capture people in their worst moments, which contributes to the systemic over-surveillance of homeless people," Diana Chan McNally, a front-line worker with people experiencing homelessness, told the TTC board at a meeting Thursday.
Gibson, who oversees the camera policy, said the concerns are valid because many people are aware of the cameras from a police environment.
According to the TTC's policy, a camera must be on at the start of an interaction, with the customer notified, and is only turned off when the interaction has ended.
Gibson also added that the footage is being managed independently of fare inspectors and special constables with the cameras, and the TTC is auditing interactions to see if people are overrepresented.
"We want to be able to check ourselves and use that information to say how can we do better in terms of delivering our services so it's really about accountability to our customer."
Fare inspectors and special constables will rotate using the cameras every six weeks and will start using them at some point in May, along an exact date has not been set.
The TTC reported losing $124 million in fare evasion in 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Blockade briefly stops Pride Parade in downtown Winnipeg
A group of protesters briefly blocked the Winnipeg Pride Parade on Sunday.
Trump says he's 'OK' with serving potential jail time or house arrest after historic conviction
Former U.S. president Donald Trump said he is 'OK' with serving potential jail time or being under house arrest following his historic conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Ryan Reynolds has declared 'War of the Popcorn Buckets.' He's honestly onto something
Ryan Reynolds this week unveiled arguably the most anticipated and sure-to-be coveted merchandise tied to his upcoming 'Deadpool' sequel: the movie’s novelty popcorn bucket.
Ontario gave parents more than $1B in cash over 2 years. Here's where the money went
During the pandemic, the Ontario government started to hand out cash to parents to help offset the cost of at-home learning while schools were shuttered.
Do this once a month and extend your life by up to 10 years. No gym required
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
'There could have been an explosion,' 8 people, including 4 children injured in St. Constant, Que.
Eight people, including four children, have second- or third-degree burns as a result of an incident at a home in Saint-Constant, Que. south of Montreal, the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie (CETAM) reported on Saturday.
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
One dead, 26 wounded in overnight shooting in Ohio: reports
A shooting on a street in Akron, Ohio, killed one man and wounded 26 other people early Sunday morning, according to reports by local news outlets.
North Korea says it will stop sending trash balloons as South Korea vows strong retaliation
South Korea said Sunday it’ll soon take retaliatory steps against North Korea over its launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border and other provocations.