ATU Local 113 President Carlos Santos joined transit advocates on April 12 to deliver thousands of petition signatures directly to the office of Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, Hon. Jeff Yurek, demanding Premier Doug Ford and his PC government keep transit public by halting their disastrous subway upload scheme.

This came on the heels of the provincial budget, which outlined a transit vision for Toronto that raised serious questions about Toronto’s public transit future. Premier Ford is set to rewrite existing transit expansion plans, which will lead to cost overruns and delays on badly needed infrastructure – all while cancelling LRT projects in Scarborough and on the waterfront. The budget also put an end to a promised increase to the gas tax for municipalities, causing further delays to “state of good repair” on the TTC, or the overhaul of old vehicles, a loss of over $1 billion to the city, and it’s public transit system, over the next decade.

ATU Local 113 President Carlos Santos speaking at TTCriders’ No More Delays! Rally to Stop Ford’s Subway Takeover

“Toronto should control the TTC,” ATU Local 113 President Carlos Santos told the energized crowd at TTCriders’ No More Delays! Rally to Stop Ford’s Subway Takeover. “We’ve operated and maintained the public transit system for over 100 years. Let alone paid for it!”

Following his speech, Carlos Santos stood in solidarity with the Ontario NDP, TTCriders and the Scarborough Campus Student Union to hand deliver over 2,500 petition signatures directly to Minister Yurek’s office.

“The Minister has ignored Torontonians for too long – we had to bring it right into his office for him to see that riders oppose his suwbay upload scheme that will just lead to higher fares and reduced service. Riders need relief, not far-fetched promises and fancy maps,” said Carlos Santos.

ATU Local 113 President Carlos Santos delivering over 2,500 petitions directly to Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation alongside the Ontario NDP, TTCriders and the Scarborough Campus Student Union

Participation in this rally is part of efforts by ATU Local 113 to improve and expand Toronto’s public transit system. Properly funding the TTC is the only way to make an affordable and reliable public transit system for the whole city a reality.

Torontonians are encouraged to join the fight to keep transit public.