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Toronto will soon have crisis response teams stationed directly on subway platforms under a new pilot project designed to address safety concerns on the TTC.
Starting Nov. 15, the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) will deploy dedicated teams at Spadina, Union and Bloor-Yonge stations. Available 24/7, the workers will respond to incidents across the “u” section of Line 1 between Spadina and Bloor-Yonge.
“Transit needs to be safe and feel safe. Bringing crisis workers on to the platform as a resource for riders will help us respond to incidents faster and prevent them,” said Mayor Chow in a city news release.
“Alongside more visible staff, more frequent service and ongoing partnership with the police, this initiative will help keep people safe,” she said. “Better safety and better service is how we bring riders back, unclog our roads and get Toronto moving.”
TCCS, which launched city-wide in 2024, is Toronto’s fourth emergency service, which, according to Chow, provides free, in-person mental health support from mobile crisis teams.
TCCS is a non-police service that provides health-focused support in the community. Crisis teams can be accessed through the SafeTTC app, by speaking to TTC staff or by calling 211.
The new TTC pilot builds on TCCS’s existing work across the city and aims to meet growing demand, the city release said, noting TTC special constables received over 1,028 crisis calls in 2024.
“Safety is paramount to all we do at the TTC – the safety of our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve. If we want our ridership to grow, we need to make sure everyone feels safe and is safe while riding the TTC,” said TTC CEO Mandeep Lali in the release.
TTCriders, a membership-based transit advocacy organization, welcomed the city’s announcement while urging further investment in safety, accessibility, and reliable service.
“We would like to see secure long term-funding for this program, specifically after a successful pilot,” Andrew Pulsifer, executive director of TTCriders, told On The Record.
Though TTCRiders say this program is a step in the right direction, it says more preventive solutions are also necessary.
“Incidents on transit have been declining for years, but the public perception of how safe the TTC is hasn’t caught up with that,” said Pulsifer. The group is calling for a multi-pronged approach to safety that includes:
- Platform-edge doors to prevent track intrusions and improve station safety.
- Reliable bus and streetcar service so riders aren’t left waiting in conditions where they feel unsafe.
- Non-police frontline staff such as crisis intervention teams to provide support to riders when needed.
“This pilot project is an important win for transit safety,” said Pulsifer. “Riders deserve a TTC that is safe, reliable, and welcoming. That means investing in more solutions that build confidence and dignity in our transit system.”
Mayor Chow is set to bring the pilot to the Oct. 8 council meeting, where it will be outlined in greater detail.
Reporter, OTR, F2025
Otter.ai was used in transcribing the interviews for this story.
