Strengthen TTC Special Constables, Not a Permanent Parallel Police Unit
The Issue
CUPE Local 5089 Petition: Strengthen TTC Special Constables Page 1
PETITION
Decision-makers: Toronto City Council, TTC Board, Toronto Police Service Board
Strengthen TTC Special Constables, Not a Permanent Parallel Police Unit
Everyone deserves to feel safe on the TTC. Riders and workers need help that arrives quickly, knows the transit system, and fits the situation. Toronto already has a dedicated transit safety service: TTC Special Constables. They're sworn peace officers who make arrests, investigate crimes, respond to people in crisis, and know every station, tunnel and procedure on the system.
Their workload is growing. Arrests are already trending higher this year. Ontario also gave them new powers this year to deal with drug use on transit. Toronto is now considering a permanent, full-time Toronto Police unit to do routine transit work. Police are essential for serious, violent and armed incidents, and that partnership must stay strong. But police are also needed in every neighbourhood across the city. Toronto Police said it themselves when it disbanded its Transit Patrol Unit: the unit was "no longer required" because the TTC had "a highly capable Special Constable Program."
Right now, from October 5 to November 27, Toronto Police are calling officers back on overtime to patrol Lines 1 and 2. We've seen this before: in early 2023, overtime patrols on the TTC cost about $1.5 million a month and ended when the money ran out. Riders deserve to know why the City is paying overtime for temporary patrols, what it will cost, and why that money isn't going to the Special Constables who are already on the system every day.
Before creating a costly parallel police unit, Toronto should strengthen the service it already has.
We're calling on the City, the TTC and the Police Service Board to:
1. Hire and retain more TTC Special Constables.
2. Expand crisis and outreach workers for people in mental-health crisis.
3. Give Special Constables the vehicles and tools to reach emergencies quickly.
4. Keep a strong TPS partnership for serious and armed incidents.
5. Publicly compare the costs and benefits of both models before any permanent decision.
The right responder for the right call. Sign to keep Toronto's transit safe.
Started by CUPE Local 5089, representing TTC Special Constables, Provincial Offences Officers and Protective Services
Guards.
Read our full policy position, with sources:
Strengthen TTC Special Constables and Crisis Support (PDF)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AmCUmAgugWnMqV_TbEEG5oVI-IdZdPNI/view?usp=sharing
158
The Issue
CUPE Local 5089 Petition: Strengthen TTC Special Constables Page 1
PETITION
Decision-makers: Toronto City Council, TTC Board, Toronto Police Service Board
Strengthen TTC Special Constables, Not a Permanent Parallel Police Unit
Everyone deserves to feel safe on the TTC. Riders and workers need help that arrives quickly, knows the transit system, and fits the situation. Toronto already has a dedicated transit safety service: TTC Special Constables. They're sworn peace officers who make arrests, investigate crimes, respond to people in crisis, and know every station, tunnel and procedure on the system.
Their workload is growing. Arrests are already trending higher this year. Ontario also gave them new powers this year to deal with drug use on transit. Toronto is now considering a permanent, full-time Toronto Police unit to do routine transit work. Police are essential for serious, violent and armed incidents, and that partnership must stay strong. But police are also needed in every neighbourhood across the city. Toronto Police said it themselves when it disbanded its Transit Patrol Unit: the unit was "no longer required" because the TTC had "a highly capable Special Constable Program."
Right now, from October 5 to November 27, Toronto Police are calling officers back on overtime to patrol Lines 1 and 2. We've seen this before: in early 2023, overtime patrols on the TTC cost about $1.5 million a month and ended when the money ran out. Riders deserve to know why the City is paying overtime for temporary patrols, what it will cost, and why that money isn't going to the Special Constables who are already on the system every day.
Before creating a costly parallel police unit, Toronto should strengthen the service it already has.
We're calling on the City, the TTC and the Police Service Board to:
1. Hire and retain more TTC Special Constables.
2. Expand crisis and outreach workers for people in mental-health crisis.
3. Give Special Constables the vehicles and tools to reach emergencies quickly.
4. Keep a strong TPS partnership for serious and armed incidents.
5. Publicly compare the costs and benefits of both models before any permanent decision.
The right responder for the right call. Sign to keep Toronto's transit safe.
Started by CUPE Local 5089, representing TTC Special Constables, Provincial Offences Officers and Protective Services
Guards.
Read our full policy position, with sources:
Strengthen TTC Special Constables and Crisis Support (PDF)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AmCUmAgugWnMqV_TbEEG5oVI-IdZdPNI/view?usp=sharing
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Petition created on October 3, 2026