TTC transit worker protections in focus on awareness day

TTC transit worker protections were in focus on December 17, 2025, as Toronto observed Transit Worker Assault Awareness Day and reiterated a zero-tolerance stance on violence, harassment, and abuse toward frontline staff, as reported by Metro Magazine.

Mayor Olivia Chow proclaimed December 17, 2025, as Toronto’s fifth annual Transit Worker Assault Awareness Day. She said transit workers should be able to do their jobs safely and with respect, and that the proclamation reinforces the message that assaults on transit workers will not be tolerated, according to a TTC news release.

Transit Worker Assault Awareness Day Toronto: city message

In their joint message, the City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) said safety and well-being for transit workers remains a top priority. Chow described transit employees as essential to the system and repeated the city’s condemnation of violence, harassment, and abuse directed at frontline workers.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

TTC transit worker protections and Criminal Code amendments

The TTC said it is leading national efforts to strengthen penalties and broaden legal coverage for assaults affecting public transit employees. Working with unions, industry associations, and the City of Toronto, the agency is advocating for Criminal Code amendments for transit workers that would cover all frontline employees.

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TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali said the organization stands firmly against abuse or violence and treats incidents of abuse, harassment, or threats with the utmost seriousness. He added that the TTC works closely with police to pursue prosecution, and said even one assault is one too many.

Community safety plan actions and reporting tools

The TTC’s 2024–2028 Five-Year Community Safety, Security and Well-Being Plan lays out initiatives aimed at improving safety through a compassionate, people-first approach. Actions include de-escalation training for more than 10,000 employees, protective barriers on all buses, improved CCTV coverage, and testing new deterrent technologies—an approach also discussed by Railway Supply.

The plan also calls for an expanded safety presence. Special Constables, Provincial Offenses Officers, and security guards will patrol Line 1 between Union and Eglinton stations, and Toronto Police officers are expected to join those patrols in 2026, seven days a week.

To encourage incident reporting, the TTC is promoting the SafeTTC app. The agency also highlighted collaboration with unions and Joint Health and Safety Committees, alongside employee supports such as Trauma Assist, Court Advocate, EFAP, and Peer Support.

The TTC also cited community partnerships with the Toronto Community Crisis Centre (TCCS), Streets to Homes, and LOFT Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Teams. TTC officials said the organization treats physical assaults, harassment, and threats as serious matters and works with police to prosecute to the full extent of the law.

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