Report Raises Concerns About Transit Funding in Toronto

The Mixed Signals report makes the case for Toronto to adopt a dedicated revenue source to pay for transit.

1 minute read

November 22, 2018, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Toronto Lyrics

Louis.Roth / Shutterstock

Ben Spurr shares news of a new report called Mixed Signals, authored by the non-profit transit advocacy group CodeRedTO, which finds that the city of Toronto's Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) system is "precariously funded, inefficiently governed and expensive to ride."

The TTC attracts more passengers than comparable networks in other North American cities, explains Spurr, but there are still reasons for concern.  

The “most alarming finding,” according to the report, was the extent to which Toronto relies on fare revenue to pay for service.

In 2017, more than two-thirds of the TTC’s $1.8-billion operating budget came from fare revenue, “a level not seen in any other city in North America,” according to the report.

According to the report, relying on fare-generated revenue can lead to a "downward spiral that drives down the quality of service, and could be contributing to the trend of declining ridership on the network."

Tuesday, November 20, 2018 in The Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

5 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Nevada State Senate building.

Nevada Legislature Unanimously Passes Regional Rail Bill

If signed by the governor, the bill will create a task force aimed at developing a regional passenger rail system.

1 hour ago - KRNV News 4

Blue sidewalk curb cut painted with white accessibility symbol.

How Infrastructure Shapes Public Trust

A city engineer argues that planners must go beyond code compliance to ensure public infrastructure is truly accessible to all users.

2 hours ago - Governing

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

Photos: In Over a Dozen Cities, Housing Activists Connect HUD Cuts and Local Issues

We share images from six of the cities around the country where members of three national organizing networks took action on May 20 to protest cuts to federal housing funding and lift up local solutions.

4 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine