Transit systems across Canada are heading for a fiscal cliff, where costs are up and ridership is down. Government, business, academia, and NGOs gathered in Toronto yesterday to figure out how to put public transit back on track – and ATU Local 113 was there to make sure the voices of workers and riders were heard.
During his introductory remarks, President Marvin Alfred set the stage for the discussion with a simple truth: Mobility is dignity, we need politicians to see transit as a core mandate of government, not an ask.
Some highlights from his speech:
- The problem is transit hasn’t been given the respect it deserves over decades. Today, we’re dealing with the gap that was run up by previous governments.
- When transit isn’t funded, they cut corners in a way that can have catastrophic consequences. Service issues can quickly become safety issues. The Scarborough RT literally tore itself apart after years of deliberate underspending on core maintenance.
- The public should be holding the federal and provincial government to account to provide sustainable funding for public transit. Our members know what public transit means to the daily quality of life of our riders, because we see it every day.
- People deserve to live in dignity even if they don’t have a car. Mobility is fundamental to their quality of life – to do groceries, get to work, school, or places of worship, or just live their lives.
- Denying mobility speaks to who we are as a society. The federal and provincial governments have a shared responsibility to provide safe and reliable transit to every member of society.