Nearly 40 TTC routes changed over the weekend. Here’s what you need to know:
TTC riders may have to wait a bit longer for a bus, streetcar or subway starting Sunday.
A total of 39 routes—including one streetcar, two subway and 36 bus routes—will be impacted by service changes as a result of lower pandemic ridership. This represents about 20 per cent of all TTC service across the city.
The majority of the routes impacted operate in the daytime, including the Bloor-Danforth and Sheppard subway lines.
According to transit agency, 52 per cent of the schedule changes will result in a longer wait time of up to three minutes while eight per cent of the changes will lead to wait times between three and 11 minutes.
The TTC says that 66 per cent of the changes will include a “service reliability improvement,” which will make service more predictable.
Another 18 per cent of changes will result in shorter wait times, officials said.
The plan would see transit service set to 91 per cent of pre-COVID levels. At the time it was proposed, ridership had reached 70 per cent of pre-COVID levels.
The TTC noted in a statement Sunday that about 26 per cent of the scheduled changes will have no impact on wait time.
“We absolutely understand that our customers want reliable and frequent service, which is why we’ve committed to protecting service on the busiest routes at the busiest times of day, particularly in priority neighbourhoods where we know people are more reliant on transit,” the agency said.
However, a recently released report by Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has found that these service cuts will disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
The researchers found that more than 80 per cent of the routes set to be impacted move through neighbourhoods with higher poverty rates, numbers of immigrants and unemployment rates.
They found that 38 of the 39 routes will see a 10 per cent or more reduction or a complete route suspension that would lead to longer wait times.
A map of how TTC service reductions will impact neighbourhoods throughout Toronto. (Toronto Metropolitan University/Transform Lab)
The TTC anticipates the changes will result in reduced operating costs of just over $50 million, a little less than the additional subsidy they received in the city’s 2023 budget.
The next round of service changes are anticipated in May, and is expected to see operational costs reduced by another $46.5 million.
A full list of affected routes are below:
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality alerts issued as wildfire smoke spreads east from Western Canada
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Michael Cohen will face a bruising cross-examination by Trump's lawyers at the hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Risks of handcuffing someone facedown long known; people die when police training fails to keep up
For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone facedown could turn deadly if officers pin them on the ground with too much pressure or for too long.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.