Tell City Councillors and the TTC to keep tokens or give metropasses to people who receive social assistance

Whereas

·        90,000 Toronto residents receive Ontario Works benefits from the City of Toronto

·        Shelter use and applications for social housing have increased

·        Unemployment has increased

·        Foodbank use has increased to 400,000 per month, up 13%

·        Community-based organizations have been tasked with ordering, distributing and tracking the provision of tokens to its service recipients

·        People who receive social assistance or low income count on community based organizations for basic needs like food, health and clothing to meet their needs each month.

·        XXX of surveyed community based organizations distribute XXX tokens to XXX service recipients for basic services like shelter, food, health and basic needs

And Whereas

·        A municipal service, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), is proposing to change or eliminate the use of tokens

·        TTC ridership consists of over 2 million people per day, and revenues are up

·        All of the people on social assistance make up .11% of TTC Ridership

·        The City of Toronto has published research outlining the negative health impacts of lowered transit equity for low income residents

·        The TTC is considering eliminating the token system for a limited use metropass which would require community based agencies to pay to administer as a substitute

We the undersigned petition City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission to implement a free annual transit pass to Toronto social assistance a cost effective and just solution to maintain transit equity for our most vulnerable citizens.