TTC CEO report: FIFA success, permanent Bathurst/Dufferin transit lanes, and a $13.5M revenue gap
The board received the July CEO report, which was dominated by a FIFA World Cup wrap-up (3.6M+ trips, 42% match-day ridership bumps, 90%+ satisfaction). Buried in the discussion, staff confirmed the Bathurst and Dufferin RapidTO transit-priority lanes will stay installed permanently, and disclosed the TTC is running about $13.5M under its revenue budget with an $80M efficiency target for year-end. A nine-month camera pilot recording vehicles passing open streetcar doors began July 20.
Who did what
- A citizen commissioner questioned staffPressed on when Line 5/6 data will enter standard reporting and on plans to mitigate the budget shortfall.
- Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11) questioned staffPressed on cost to convert the streetcar network to double-ended switches (~$160M, unfunded) and which FIFA enhancements continue before the 2027 report.
From the floor
“Both uh the transit party lanes on Bath and Duffren will be um stay installed and so we'll continue to report and track on that with the city because of the rapid to program.”City staff
“That effectively translates to is circa 13.5 million below budget.”Speaker not identified
“I think of the digital signs on Duffren and when I saw them I just I don't know I felt like I left my body. It was so cool.”Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9)
“through the chair at this point it's a very high level estimate. It's about $160 million.”City staff
“We have lots of information about how great it was during FIFA. We don't have a clear plan for what's going to keep service as good as it can be pending the larger report.”Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11)
Also in this item
• Bathurst and Dufferin RapidTO transit-priority lanes are now permanent, confirmed on the record; commissioners flagged this as proof of concept for extending priority lanes to St. Clair, Eglinton and Scarborough.
• TTC is running ~$13.5M under its revenue budget year-to-date and is targeting ~$80M in efficiencies/savings by year-end, with the shortfall projected to continue amid fuel, materials and tariff pressures.
• A nine-month camera pilot began July 20 recording vehicles that pass streetcars while doors are open; 2014-2024 data cited 141 such pass-by incidents endangering boarding passengers.
• Line 5 Eglinton and Line 6 Finch ridership is still not broken out in standard reporting because the data is controlled by Metrolinx; combined light-rail boardings cited at ~91k.
• Converting the entire streetcar network to double-ended switches would cost roughly $160M and is unfunded, requiring cuts to other priorities.
The journey
What happens next
A fuller World Cup evaluation report with prioritized recommendations comes to the board in early 2027; residents can depute then and can contact councillors about extending priority lanes to other corridors, which staff said would return to city council and the TTC board for approval.
Decision
Board received the CEO's report (motion moved by the Chair, carried).
Watch it happen
Jump to this item in the meeting video
Why is this story here?
Stories are ordered by how much weight a decision carries and how directly it reaches daily life. They rise as a decision date approaches and fall as they age.