Backed by Chow, Toronto’s transit safety plan proposes 178 new front-line workers – Toronto

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is backing a transit safety plan to hire 178 new front-line workers, primarily by adding more customer service agents at transit stations.

Chow says the 130 additional officers at stations as well as 30 additional field supervisors will help prevent security incidents and improve response times.

She says the plan proposes using the $10.3 million in savings expected this year from the delayed opening of two LRT projects to help fill a funding gap until council decides. attack on the 2024 budget.

The newly unveiled security plan, due to be presented before a TTC board meeting next week, also proposes extending the contracts of security guards and outreach workers that had previously been approved.

Security at the TTC became a hot spot last winter after a number of high-profile violent attacks, including the fatal beatings of a 31-year-old woman in December and a 16-year-old boy in March.

In addition to more staff at stations, the plan proposes hiring six new bus drivers to help transport people to city shelters and six additional dispatchers dedicated to safety communications.