In the 2018 Ontario Budget, Premier Kathleen Wynne revealed the Liberals’ destructive plan to take over TTC Subway lines from the City of Toronto.
If this scheme sounds familiar, it is because Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives are also calling for the same, which is nothing more than a backdoor plan for the province and Metrolinx to privatize the cornerstone of Toronto’s public transit system.
“Across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Metrolinx is pushing privatization by making it impossible for public transit systems to operate and maintain new transit,” said Frank Grimaldi, President, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113. “Metrolinx taking over Toronto’s subway lines is a recipe for disaster that could lead to privatization, higher fares and even service cuts.”
Along with privatization, the Liberal and Conservative scheme to take away Toronto’s subway lines from the TTC raises serious issues of accountability and governance, while starving our public transit system of revenue.
“A divided transit system is bad news for workers and riders,” said Frank Grimaldi. “Why would the people of Toronto want to have a weaker voice when it comes to transit in our city? There is still time for transit workers to unite and tell Kathleen Wynne and Doug Ford that our subway system is not for sale.”
The stakes are high for transit workers. Make sure you follow – and get involved – in this upcoming provincial election. Local 113 will be very active in getting our message across. We have a Committee going around the property called “Keep Transit Public”.
Get involved and ensure the candidates know how you feel. We need a fully funded, strong and stable public transit system. That system is the TTC. One TTC. One ATU.