TORONTO, ONTARIO – (October 22, 2019) – Carlos Santos, President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113, released the following statement on the 2019 federal election results:
“Toronto’s 12,000 public transit workers thank everyone who took part in the federal election, including many of our members who supported candidates who champion public transit. To Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government, congratulations, our members look forward to working with you and your Toronto-area Members of Parliament to improve our public transit system to better serve riders while respecting its workers.
Canadians were clear: parliament must work together, across party lines, to tackle the big issues. It’s time to continue investments, not make cuts, in public transit infrastructure to improve service and environmental sustainability while making life more affordable.
For Toronto to succeed, the federal government must implement permanent transit funding dedicated to both infrastructure expansion, but also the maintenance and operating costs of existing systems. Riders have been forced to commute with dangerous overcrowding – on a system that badly needs repairs – for far too long.
The federal government must play a key role in delivering an improved and expanded public transit system through true partnership with workers and municipalities who understand the needs of riders firsthand. Torontonians are counting on us to get this right, let’s get to work.”