www.ttcriders.ca

2014 / 2015

ANNUAL REPORTTTCriders

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2014-2015 Organizational Structure and Board Members

Fundraising and Membership

Jess Bell, Chair

Board

Brenda Thompson, Co-Chair

Marco Covi, Co-Chair

Our Union Pearson

Rick Cicarelli, Co-ChairJess Bell, Co-Chair

Scarborough Transit

Brenda Thompson,Chair

Campaigns

Jennifer Huang,Chair

Keep the TTC Public

Brenda Thompson, Chair

Media Communicators

Jess Bell, Chair

Outreach and Leadership

Kamilla Pietrzyk Co-Chair

Milan Gokhale, Co-Chair

Rebecca Phinnemore,Co-Chair

North West

Toronto Outreach

Marco Covi,Co-Chair

Herman Rosenfeld, Co-Chair

Marco Covi, Co-ChairBrenda Thompson, Co-ChairGuled AraleAlix Freiler

Sandy HudsonYoo Jeung LeeBetty Ann McKenzie (on leave)

Board Members

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The fi ght for aff ordable fares continues with the support of dozens of devoted riders in late April.

Message from the Chairs

TTCriders was founded from the ground up by tran-sit riders for transit riders in 2010. It emerged as a response to the tens of thousands of transit users who said that they want better transit in Toronto. Since then it has become the largest and most le-gitimate transit advocacy group in Toronto in terms of speaking to the needs of public transit users throughout the city. With over 70,000 volunteer hours contributed this year alone, it goes without saying that our reach depends on the people that believe in our message. The year since our last An-nual General Meeting has been one of tremendous growth and has been a year of many fi rsts in our organization: We hired our fi rst Executive Direc-tor; held our fi rst annual fundraiser; secured over 50 media stories; organized our fi rst ever mayoral debate; expanded outreach across the city and to handle the upsurge in growth, invested in a new contact management database. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our volunteers and our gracious organizational and individual mem-bers who donated time, talent and money towards our cause. There are not enough words to express our gratitude for all of your eff orts.Our mandate has always been to support eff ec-tive plans for building modern and fast transit as quickly as possible that connects all of our neigh-bourhoods so that service can be improved and people can spend less time commuting and more time spending time on the things that really mat-ter to them. We also believe that transit must be expanded in the most environmentally sustainable way possible without fare increases. This is one of our top priorities. So this year we launched the Our Union Pearson Express campaign in partnership with the Atkinson Foundation to lobby for more stops, reduced fares and for the electrifi cation of the rails as opposed to running dirty diesel trains along the GO Rail Corridor. We at TTCriders are fi rm believers that public trans-portation is exactly what the words entail: public.

Public transit is built for people by governments elected by the people. Like all public goods, it is not a commodity and therefore should not be privatized. Public transit is a fundamental demo-cratic right which is why we have spearheaded the Keep it Public committee in order to defend transit from the recent pushes towards privati-zation. Our priority campaign is our Fair Deal for Rid-ers initiative. We will continue to push all levels of government for permanent funding for public transit operations in Toronto. When this hap-pens the money can be re-invested in service increases across the board and fares can be re-duced so that public transit can be enjoyable, convenient and aff ordable for all. Our #Grumpy-rider and #SavedyouaSeat challenges have been innovative, fun and yet powerful tools to get the public engaged on these issues on a large scale. This year we pulled out record crowds to en-dorse the TTC’s Opportunities to Improve Tran-sit Service in Toronto report. As a result, most of the recommendations have been approved and are being implemented this year, including more 24 hour bus service and a reversal of the cuts to routes made under the previous City admin-istration. We have also put together a proposal regarding a $50/month transit pass for people on low income, and free transit for people on social assistance, in collaboration with the Fair Fare Coalition.In the coming year we will continue to work to-wards engaging Torontonians of all stripes on the importance of this issue and give an even stronger voice to transit riders. We thank you for all of your support. It simply could not have hap-pened without you.

- Brenda Thompson and Marco Covi, Board Chairs

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Above: TTCriders supporters routinely pack City Hall to push for better service and lower fares.Right: TTCriders ranked and summarized candidates’ transit policies in its Vote Transit Guide during the mayoral debate

TTCriders held our fi rst ever mayoral transit debate at Ryerson University which exceeded capacity.

TTCriders 2014-2015 Highlights

Summer – Fall 2014This year TTCriders packed close to 100 supporters into City Hall in order to endorse a low income transit pass.We also brought our record numbers to support the TTC’s Opportunities to Improve Transit Service in Toronto report, which called for big service increases across the city. We also held our fi rst ever mayoral debate which was well attended. We also designed and shared a Vote Transit Report Card to guide riders in an objective evaluation of who would be the best mayoral candidate for transit riders.

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TTCriders reached out to riders near and far when we put together an innovative and wildly successful #GrumpyRider social media cam-paign. Riders sent in selfi e photos on the TTC with angry or disappointed looks on their faces in order to humorously demonstrate the sour state of their commutes and to shame politi-cians into taking action. This social media campaign was geared to con-vincing the City increase funding to the TTC as part of the 2015 budget. We held a rally and pulled out over 100 people to the TTC budget vote. In the end, the city agreed to restore cuts to service made under Rob Ford, increase late night bus service, and more. In December we also hosted our fi rst ever annu-al fundraiser where we used social media to out-reach to members on who should be nominated a transit troll and who would be the announced the transit champion at our event. 296 people made their thoughts known: TTC CEO Andy By-ford was knighted as transit champion for con-sistently speaking truth to power on behalf of riders when it comes to government funding for transit. Stephen Harper was our transit troll for consistently ignoring the transit infrastructure needs of cities like Toronto by failing to fund public transportation. The event was a great suc-cess and drew a crowd of almost 100 supporters and new members.TTCriders, Clean Train Coalition, the Our Union Pearson Coalition and more packed public meet-ings hosted and organized by the Roncesvalles Macdonell Residents Association to put pres-sure on Metrolinx and the Government of On-tario to electrify the UP Express. This has been

Fall-Winter 2014-2015

“Once our politicians are packed into a subway like sardines with the rest of us, we know that they will appreciatehow important investing in the TTC really is,”

-Drew Woodley, TTCriders Memberfollowed up in recent months by months of hard lobbying and grassroots involvement with children, teachers and parents of the schools in the nearby area in order to encourage them to submit pictures for a colouring contest to demonstrate why we need clean trains running through West Toronto. The next generation of activists are already articu-lating their desire to have clean, accessible and af-fordable public transit, and we are helping them fi nd their voice.In response to pressure from residents associa-tions in partnership with groups like TTCriders, the Government of Ontario has fi nally streamlined the process and committed to begin electrifi cation of the Georgetown GO Rail line. Metrolinx also agreed to off er airport workers a discount to ride the train, but far more needs to be done.

TTCriders #grumpyrider photo contributor Gordon Yarley.

Metrolinx public consultation in West Toronto where TTCriders asked the tough questions regarding plans for the UP Express line.

Our UP Express Campaign fl yer: A collaboration between TTCriders; Social Planning Toronto; the Atkinson Foundation; the Greater Toronto Workers Assembly; the Clean Trains Coalition; and the Toronto Airport Council of Unions.

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Elementary school children submitting drawings for the Our UP Express colouring book competition. This is one of many outreach campaigns TTCriders has successfully implemented this year

TTCriders launched a successful #savedyouaseat challenge for the month of April. This was mod-elled off of U.S. transit advocates’ proven methods to challenge politicians into taking public trans-portation for one week in order to understand rider frustrations. The event culminated in our Day of Action Mon-day April 27th 2015 where dozens of dedicated volunteers canvassed at 10 subway stations and countless bus stops during the morning and even-ing rush hours to get people to sign petitions in support of dedicated transit funding from the Province for TTC operations.Since the solidifi cation of a leadership and out-reach committee, several volunteer orientation sessions have been held in order to increase or-ganizational capacity and the refer-a-friend pro-gram has been launched to get more members. Throughout the year TTCriders have held deputa-tions around the City budgeting process and key TTC announcements to push for a fairer and more sustainable funding model that benefi ts public transit users without raising fares while increas-ing service.

Winter - Spring 2015A big part of the work we do at TTCriders is out-reach and education. We hold regular informa-tion sessions on public transit issues impacting communities in the inner-suburbs of North, East and West Toronto in order to mobilize transit us-ers into taking action. Tabling at events co-hosted by social service agencies; canvassing along bus routes and at stations; deputations at City Hall; press releases and behind the scenes lobbying have helped shore up big wins in 2015 including the commitment to start construction of light rail transit along Finch Ave West in early 2016. We have eff ectively lobbied the city council to develop a plan to provide discount fares for low income people. The city’s recommendations are due late this year. The Scarborough Transit Action committee is con-tinuously hard at work canvassing, producing lit-erature and reaching out to riders in order to save the plan to bring rapid light rail along Sheppard Ave East. In addition, a small group of dedicated researchers, writers and public speakers deputed and wrote letters to stop the privatization of our transit projects through the Keep it Public cam-paign. Letters have been published in major news outlets such as the Toronto Star. City Councilors and Members of Provincial Parliament have been strongly urged to re-consider privatization of our electrical utilities to pay for transit; the project management of the Spadina Subway Extension; and operations and maintenance contracts along the Eglinton and Finch Light Rail projects.

Our #savedyouaseatchallenge challenged politicians to take public trans-portation for a week so that they could understand how underfunded the TTC is. It ended with a successful day of action street canvass close to transit stops.

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This Year in NumbersOur organization has undergone tremendous growth in a short period of time. Donations have almost doubled in the past six months thanks to your generous support.

Media CoverageMedia Coverage of TTCriders has also expanded. This year TTCriders received media coverage more than 50 times. In 2014-2015, TTCriders message for better funding and more service has gained the attention of major media outlets to broadcast our message such as:

Toronto Star Torontoist Rabble.ca Toronto Sun

CBC MetroNews CP24 Omni

The YorkWest Advocate CityNews InsideToronto NOW Magazine

Toronto Observer Scarborough Mirror CTV

Our CommitteesThis year between May 2014 and May 2015 the number of committees have doubled in order to tackle the many problems with our transit system. Our website has a link to all of the TTCriders Committees : http://www.ttcriders.ca/who-we-are/ This has directly led to an increase in direct community engagement on transit issues including more bus stop, station and door to door canvassing. We have also near-ly doubled the number of Blog Posts than the previous year which helped us get the word out and rally our sup-porters. 2014- 2015 saw a 92% increase in the number of action alerts, position statements and blog posts that our volunteers contributed in order to keep up the good fi ght. In total we had over 72, 471 hours of Volunteer-ing and outreach to the public for better service and more funding for transit.

Media Credits: Metro news covers TTCriders as we engage residents to protest dirty diesel trains. Metro News June 2 2015; Feb 2nd 2015 coverage of TTCriders City Hall deputations fi ghting the proposed fare hike: courtesy CityNews Cynthia Mulligan; Rabble.ca picture: May 2015 news cov-erage of TTCriders speaking on the lack of fund-ing; Twitter coverage of fi ght against fi re increases Feb 2015. Courtesy of Cynthia Mulligan

Volunteer outreach has increased dramatically in 2014-2015.

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Our ActivitiesOur activities included canvassing at bus shelters and transit stations about the importance of fi ghting for well-funded public transportation; daily communications with fellow volunteers and the public; meeting with stakeholders like city councillors, members of provincial parliament, community agencies; campaign and strategy sessions; tabling at conferences and events as part of outreach; phone banks to call pro-spective donors and new volunteers; Board and Governance meetings; setup and logistical planning for all of our events and the countless hours that our countless supporters marched, deputed and travelled to get the Rider message out!In addition to educating citizens through canvasses and engaging them through email blasts our small team of volunteers directly contacted over 212 people and organizations to solicit volunteer support and donations in the last 6 months.Since investing in a new membership database we have fi red off 46 Email blasts over the past 6 months to over 11,000 people alerting them of upcoming decisions on public transit that impacts them and what they can do about. This helped us grow our member base in order to successfully encourage Torontonians to demand better public transit service and more funding from all levels of government. Over 6,000 people have signed our Fair Deal for Riders petition calling for fair funding for the TTC.

92% Increase in the number of

action alerts, position statements and blog posts

that our volunteers contributed in order to keep up the good fi ght

This year TTCriders

received media coverage more than

50 timesDedicated volunteers go from building to building in order to talk to riders about transit issues in Toronto and our campaigns to bring about change.

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The State of Transit Today – The Battle Continues

Despite all of the excellent work that TTCriders has done this year, public funding for transit and service levels still have a long way to go before becoming acceptable. Politics continues to frame the debate over funding and the transit options we chose to invest in. But TTCriders and partners like CodeRedTO have been vigilant in dissecting fact from fi ction and talking to riders. We can’t do it alone and your help has allowed us to print materials, hold meetings and pay for tokens to allow people to come out and exercise their democratic rights in support of better public transit.

Ridership is on the rise and we still have crush hours every day. As of the end of 2014, year-end ridership was above 540 million. But our surface and subway routes cannot keep pace at their current capacity. For example, the 504 King Street Car’s daily ridership is the busiest in the city – more than some subway lines. Four or Five streetcars often go by without any room for more passengers. In the meantime outer neighbourhoods like South Etobicoke, Rexdale, Mount Dennis and North Scarborough have sporadic service and buses on arteries such as Finch Ave are routinely packed and stuck waiting in traffi c for more than an hour before reaching a subway station. Riders have had no reprieve due to the lack of investment in our system from Municipal, Provincial and Federal Governments. The change in our City administration has led to some service im-provements and the reversal of previous cuts to surface routes. Children under twelve now ride the TTC for free, but fares have not decreased and have mostly risen for everyone else. The TTC remains the lowest subsidized major transit organization in North America. This simply is not ac-ceptable in a city of our size and complex needs. So the fi ght must continue and we continue to rely on your vital support.

“ I’m fed up with the poor transit decisions that

are being made for the city of Toronto. I started looking around and real-ized that tons of people

are travelling an hour and a half to get to work and

then home again. It’s just wrong

-TTCriders Member Barb Willits

”

People waiting for packed streetcars is the new norm when transit remains underfunded in Toronto. Image from Metro News

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TTCriders Statement of Operations

TTCriders incorporated as of February 20, 2014. We have one dedicated staff person and plan to grow. We continue to review our strategy and fi nancials to ensure fi scal responsibility and maximum impact.

Statement of Operations and Changes in Net AssetsFor the Period of Incorporation February 20, 2014 - December 31, 2014

2014

Revenue

Memberships $43,840

Donations and Supporters $2,586

Operating ExpensesAdvertising and Promotion $513

Interest and Bank Charges $30

Offi ce and Administration $425

Professional Fees $500

Wages, Benefi ts, and Contracted Services $4,274

Surplus of Revenue over Expenses $40,684

Net Assets, beginning -

Net Assets, ending $40,684

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A thank you to our generous supportersOrganizations that donated countless volunteer hours:

CodeRedTO, Fair Fare Coalition, the Ontario Chinese Seniors Association, Ryerson Student Union, ACORN, University of Toronto Graduate Student Union, Social Planning Toronto, Toronto Environmental Alliance, ATU Local 113, Scarborough Transit Action, Northwest Transit Action, and many, many more.

High Impact Volunteers 2014-2015:

Aaron Manton

Adam Smith

Alix Feiler

Betty-Ann Mackenzie

Brenda Thompson

Cindy Loche-Drake

Corey Glasberg

Diana Campbell

Guled Arale

Herman Rosenfeld

Jennifer Huang

Jessie Macauley

Judy Gulyas

Kamilla Pietrzyk

Karen Meinzer

Marco Covi

Milan Gokhale

Moya Beall

Rebecca Phinnemore

Richard De Gaetano

Sandy Hudson

Shaun Cleaver

Sheryl Lindsay

Suhail Barot

Susan Bender

Suzan Hall

Tina Shapiro

Tony Ultimo

Vincent Puhakka

Helen Liu

Dane Grgas

Susan Bender

Karen Meinzer

Last but not least our Executive Director who puts in the craziest hours for the cause,

Jessica Bell

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And a special thank you to all of our high impact individual fi nancial donors:

Jonah Schein

Mohamed Shuriye

Cameron MacLeod

Colette Snyder

Daniel Girard

Gray Taylor

Irsida Sheshi

Jamie Kirkpartrick

Joe Fraser

Joe Chellakudam

John Campey

John Richmond

Josh Shook

Liisa North

Lisa Pozhke

Melvin Mariampillai

Michael Barkley

Patricia Warwick

Richard Frederick

Robert Cerjanec

Shaun Cleaver

Ted Parkinson

Susan Sinclair

Hayssam Hulays

Carmen Lint

Luca De Franco

Bill Reno

Herman Rosenfeld

Brenda Thompson

Marco Covi

Milan Gokhale

Geoff rey Singer

Erika Ivanic

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Thank you to our generous organizational donors this year

www.ttcriders.ca