Toronto has the third largest transit system in North America, operated and maintained by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). The TTC carries the vast majority of all public transit riders in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). All orders of government play a critical role in funding the transit system to support our ability to operate, maintain and grow the system to meet Toronto’s transit needs.
Over the next 20 years, the City’s population is projected to grow by 960,000 people. By 2041, the City’s population will be more than 3,900,000, exceeding the Provincial Growth Plan forecast by more than 500,000.
Investments are needed for the transit system to maintain the safety and reliability of the existing system and to meet mobility demands of a growing City and region.
We need to invest in our existing system to provide:
Benefits of investing include:
If we don’t invest, we will see:
Our transit system also needs to grow with demand to keep Toronto moving. Additional information on the City’s transit expansion plans can be accessed here.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is a network of buses, streetcars, Wheel-Trans vehicles and subways. Each is interdependent on the other, with seamless transfers made by passengers from mode to mode on one fare. The Transit Control Centre, safety and security, and specialized trades all work together to deliver transit in Toronto, regardless of mode. The Transit Control Centre oversees the day-to-day operations of the TTC and operates 24 hours a day. It’s this interdependency that makes up the TTC network.
Transit operations of the local TTC network makes up the second largest expenditure in the City’s operating budget, after cost-shared social programs. In 2022, the TTC’s operating budget is $2.2 billion which represents 14.6% of the City’s $14.99 billion tax and rate-supported operating budget.
A significant amount of the TTC’s operating budget is funded through fares, with the balance being largely funded through the City’s property tax revenues. Learn more about TTC operating budget and 10-year capital plan and how your property tax dollars worked.
Over the next 15 years, the TTC has identified $37.22 billion to maintain service levels and make capital investments in current fleet, facilities and infrastructure. These capital investment needs are summarized in TTC’s 15-Year Capital Investment Plan, Real Estate Investment Plan and 2022-2031 Capital Budget & Plan, and the Making Headway: Progress, Priorities and Plans presentation to the TTC Board. Approximately 70% of these critical investments are currently unfunded (i.e. $25.17 billion).
The funded portion of these critical investments come from:
Through the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement (PA), the City and Province agreed to fund four transit expansion projects announced as part of its 2019 Budget. The PA describes multi-billion dollar investments to deliver transit expansion projects and state of good repair enhancements to Toronto’s transit system. The PA also establishes clear principles and responsibilities between the City and the Province of Ontario in implementing the Subways Program (i.e. Ontario Line, Scarborough Subway Extension, Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and Yonge North Subway Extension) amongst other major transit initiatives in Toronto.