Premier Doug Ford says the provincial government is investing millions to add more police officers in Toronto’s transit system, as part of a new deal between Ontario and the city.
On Monday, Ford and Mayor Olivia Chow announced a new “historic” deal aimed at achieving long-term financial stability and sustainability for the city.
According to the list of terms, the $1.2-billion deal includes some major developments such as uploading both the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway to the province, $330 million over three years towards the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and the Finch West LRT and $600 million for shelters and homelessness, among others.
In addition, one of the controversial sticking points outlined in the list of terms includes a $300 million, one-time investment for subways and transit safety, meaning increased police or safety officer presence on and near transit.
As a result, reactions from the community are pouring in and it seems many are opposed to an increase in police officers.
In response to this investment, public transit advocacy group TTCriders says increased policing has not led to a significant impact on perceptions of safety and that it is calling for a more community-based, non-police approach to safety.
“The TTC’s own reports cite that policing and fare enforcement disproportionately targets riders who are Black, Indigenous, lower income, racialized or unhoused, who are more likely to become victims of police violence,” the group said in a statement to Now Toronto on Tuesday.
“We need a more inclusive approach that makes everyone feel safe. We are calling for more full-time safety ambassadors and frontline workers trained in de-escalation to be deployed across the TTC system, in addition to the frontline staff that were added earlier in the year. As we’ve seen, more policing isn’t the answer – investments in communities and full-time supportive staff is,” it continued.
The government plans to introduce the New Deal for Toronto Act which, if passed, will provide the necessary authorities to move forward with this deal.
