TTC board approves 2025 budget that would freeze fares, increase service

The TTC Board approved the transit agency's recommended operating budget for 2025 on Friday, which requests a 6.5 per cent increase in city funding compared to last year.

For the second year in a row — and if approved by city council in February — the budget would freeze fares at 2023 rates. It would also allow the agency to increase service hours by 5.8 per cent from current levels, according to budget documents released earlier this week.

Wheel-Trans service levels are set to increase, following a 12 per cent jump in demand in 2024.

In total, the board approved $1.387 billion in net city funding. 

The budget also earmarks $33 million in funding intended to increase service and meet growing numbers of riders, as well as respond to congestion, according to a TTC news release.

According to budget documents, the goal is to return to pre-pandemic wait times during off-peak periods on the subway — with service running at least once every five minutes on Line 1 and Line 2, and at least once every six minutes on Line 4. 

For streetcars, the TTC is aiming for six minute or better service from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, on the St. Clair, Dundas and Bathurst routes. Funds will also go toward improving midday, evening and weekend bus service on major routes. 

TTC aims to restore pre-pandemic off-peak wait times

Other planned improvements include a pilot program to reduce bus bunching — when buses are delayed, and then several arrive at once — on 11 routes. 

The TTC will also pilot a station manager program in six priority stations. Station managers will ensure the station is "clean, safe and orderly," said TTC board chair Jamaal Myers at a news conference before Friday's meeting. 

Each of these six stations will have a photograph of its station manager displayed, along with a QR code so that riders can report issues related to safety and cleanliness, Myers said. 

These six priority stations are Scarborough Town Centre, Kennedy, Dundas, Finch, Spadina and Lansdowne. 

Myers said the 2025 budget is focused on safety and customer experience.

"[It's] about ensuring parents feel confident that their kids can ride the subway safely and that the bus comes when it's supposed to come," he said.

10-year budget to cut repair backlog by 50%: chair

The board also approved the TTC's 2025-2034 capital budget plan on Friday, which requests just over $5 billion more in funds than the previous 2024–2033 plan. 

Of this increased funding, the TTC will put about $4.9 billion toward addressing its state of good repair backlog. Myers said the funding will reduce the backlog by nearly 50 per cent. 

He said the TTC is "committed" to limiting the number of simultaneous reduced speed zones to a maximum of 12. These zones are put in place during track maintenance and upgrades. 

At one point last summer, there were 33 such zones at once. Currently, there are 13. 

This updated 10-year budget plan also allocates $401 million toward making all subway stations accessible with elevators, wide fare gates and automatic sliding doors.