Board Meeting - April 29, 2015

 

Meeting No. 1981 held on Thursday, March 26, 2015
Meeting No. 1982 held on Friday, April 10, 2015
Meeting No. 1983 held on Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Public Presentations - April 29, 2015

TTC Audit Committee requesting the TTC Board to request the Metrolinx Board to provide details on Presto Related Financial Controls (For Action)
Decision: TTC Audit Committee Presto Financial Controls

Correspondence submitted by TTC Chair J. Colle on behalf of Councillors Davis and McMahon, city of Toronto Re: Mobility Hub Study in the Main Street and Danforth Avenue Area (For Action)
Decision: Mobility Hub Study Request
Correspondence: Mobility Hub Study in the Main Street and Danforth Avenue Area

Item 1. Reports with Confidential Attachments (Committee of the Whole)

Item 2. Presentations

• 2a. Procurement Process Presentation (For Information)
  
  Deferred from February 25, 2015.

  • Staff report for item 2a
  • Decision for item 2a



• 2b. 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results (For Information)

  • Staff report for item 2b
  • Decision for item 2b



• 2c. TTC Service for the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games (For Action)

  • Staff report for item 2c
  • Decision for item 2c

Item 3. Budget matters

• 3a. Chief Executive Officer's Report - April 2015 Update (For Information)

  • Staff report for item 3a
  • Decision for item 3a

Item 4. Procurement Authorizations

Item 5. Procurement Authorization Amendments

Item 6. Notice of Awards

Item 7. Service Matters

See item 2(c)

Item 8. Accessibility Matters

• 8a. Approved minutes of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT) General Monthly meeting for February 26, 2015. (For information)

  • Staff report for item 8a
  • Decision for item 8a

Item 9. Other Business

• 9a. Property Development - Proposed Entrance Connection - Eglinton Station - 2263 Yonge Street - E-Condos (For Action)

  • Staff report for item 9a
  • Decision for item 9a



• 9b. Downsview Station - YRT Licence Agreement (For Action)

  • Staff report for item 9b
  • Decision for item 9b



• 9c. 5 Park Home Avenue - Office Lease (For Action)

  • External report for item 9c
  • Decision for item 9c



• 9d. City Council Decisions in Consideration of 2015 Budgets (For Action)

  • External report for item 9d
  • Decision for item 9d

Item 10. New Business

• 10a. Reduced fares for seniors during off peak hours - Time Specific Item - 3:15 pm
  
  Notice provided at the March 26, 2015 Board Meeting.
  Submitted by Commissioner V. Crisanti.

  • Staff report for item 10a
  • Correspondence for item 10a
  • Decision for item 10a

Item 11. Correspondence

A correspondence summary will be distributed at the meeting.

J. Colle (Chair), M. Adamson (Vice-Chair), J. Campbell, S. Carroll, V. Crisanti, N. Di Donato, A. Heisey Q.C., J. Mihevc and D. Minnan-Wong (Members), A. Byford (Chief Executive Officer), R. Leary (Chief Service Officer), S. Reed Tanaka (Acting Chief Capital Officer), B. Leck (Acting Chief Financial & Administration Officer and Head of Legal & General Counsel), G. Shortt (Chief Operating Officer), J. Taylor (Chief of Staff), C. Upfold (Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Chief Customer Officer), B. Ross (Executive Director of Corporate Communications), J. Lee (Head of Materials & Procurement), J. Kervin (Head of Property, Planning & Development Management), A. Borkwood (Head of Customer Development), V. Artemyeva (Research Manager), S. Haskill (Senior Planner – Strategy & Service Planning), S. Kalache (Co-ordinator – Pan Am/Parapan Am Games), K. Lee (Head of Commission Services) and D. McDonald (Co-ordinator – Corporate Secretariat Services) were present.

J. Colle was in the Chair.

Nil

Commissioner Di Donato moved that the Board approve the following minutes and that the Chair and Chief Financial & Administration Officer be authorized to sign the same:

Meeting No. 1981 - Thursday, March 26, 2015
Meeting No. 1982 – Friday, April 10, 2015
Meeting No. 1983 – Wednesday, April 15, 2015

The motion by Commissioner Di Donato carried.

Nil

Nil

a) City Council Decisions in Consideration of 2015 Budgets

Councillor Jaye Robinson

The Board received the deputation for information.
(See Item 9.4 for minute).

b) Reduced Fares for Seniors during Off-Peak Hours

Jessica Bell
Herman Rosenfeld
Brenda Thompson
Kingsley Kwok
Chair Colle moved that the Board waive Section 13(a) of the Procedures Bylaw relating to notice provisions for public presentations to permit deputations from the following individuals on this item:
Suhail Boroh
Maria Antoinetta Smith
Zhao Hua

The motion by Chair Colle carried on a two thirds vote of the members present.

The Board received the deputations for information.
(See Item 10.1 for minute).

Nil

Nil

Nil

1.1 TTC Audit Committee – PRESTO Financial Controls

The TTC Audit Committee recommends that the TTC Board request the Metrolinx Board to provide details on the PRESTO related financial controls to:

1. Ensure bank level accuracy in financial transactions involving customers and their bank accounts;
2. Ensure appropriate fares are collected;
3. Identify major variances;
4. Ensure the TTC collects revenues due to it on a timely basis; and
5. That there is an appropriate governance structure in place to ensure this.

Approved

1.2 Mobility Hub Study in the Main Street and Danforth Avenue Area

Commissioner Carroll moved that the joint letter from Councillor Janet Davis, Ward 31 and Councillor Mary Margaret McMahon, Ward 32 be referred to the Chief Executive Officer to report back, in consultation with the City of Toronto Planning Department, on a strategy to prioritize review of mobility hubs within Toronto as identified by Metrolinx.

The motion by Commissioner Carroll carried.

A communication on this item was received from:
Hamish Wilson

1. Reports with Confidential Attachments (Committee of the Whole)

   Nil

2. Presentations

   2.1 Procurement Process Presentation

   Jim Lee, Head of Materials & Procurement department delivered a PowerPoint presentation on this item.

   The Board received the presentation and staff report for information.

   2.2 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results

   Arthur Borkwood, Head of Customer Development and Viktoriya Artemyeva, Research Manager, delivered a PowerPoint presentation on this item.

   The Board received the presentation and staff report for information.

   2.3 TTC Service for the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games

   Scott Haskill (Senior Planner – Strategy & Service Planning) and Shoghig Kalache (Co-ordinator – Pan Am/Parapan Am Games) delivered a PowerPoint presentation on this item.

   The Board received the presentation for information and adopted the recommendations in the staff report, as follows:

   It is recommended that the Board forward this report to:

   1. the City Manager’s Office;
   2. the Ministry of Transportation Ontario 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games office; and
   3. the TO2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games organizing committee.

   Chair Colle also moved the following motion:

   That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer to enter into any necessary agreements whereby the Province will reimburse the City and/or TTC for services provided for the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, including any additional costs or losses arising from the provision of those services.

   The motion by Chair Colle carried.
   The item was adopted, as amended.

    

    

3. Budget Matters

   3.1 Chief Executive Officer’s Report – April 2015 Update

   The Board received the Chief Executive Officer’s Report – March 2015 Update for information.

4. Procurement Authorizations

   Nil

5. Procurement Authorization Amendments

   Nil

6. Notice of Awards

   Nil

7. Service Matters

   See item 2.3

8. Accessibility Issues

   8.1 Approved Minutes of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT) General Monthly Meeting for February 26, 2015

   The Board received the ACAT General Monthly Meeting minutes for information.

9. Other Business

   9.1 Property Development – Proposed Entrance Connection – Eglinton Station – 2263 Yonge Street – E-Condos

   It is recommended that the Board:

   1. Approve, in principle, the entrance connection between a new development located at 2263 Yonge Street, known as E-Condos, and Eglinton Subway Station.

   2 . Authorize the execution of an Entrance Connection Agreement in accordance with the Toronto Transit Commission’s Entrance Connection Policy, and any other agreements arising as a result of the entrance connection, all on terms and conditions acceptable to the TTC’s General Counsel.

   3 . Forward this report to the Director, Real Estate Services, City of Toronto.

   Approved

   9.2 Downsview Station – YRT License Agreement

   It is recommended that the Board:

   1. Approve an amendment to the License Agreement for York Region Transit use of Downsview Station to include a further five year extension to September 30, 2020.

   2 . Authorize the execution of the Second Amending Agreement on terms and conditions acceptable to the TTC’s General Counsel.

   Approved

   9.3 5 Park Home Avenue – Office Lease

   The Board deferred this item to the next regular meeting of the Board.

   9.4 City Council Decisions in Consideration of 2015 Budgets

   Commissioner Carroll moved the following motion:

   That this item be referred to the Chief Executive Officer to report back only in conjunction with reports already outstanding in this regard.

   The motion by Commissioner Carroll carried.

10. New Business

    10.1 Commissioner Crisanti – Requesting the CEO to Report on the Feasibility of a Six-Month Pilot Program to Reduce Seniors Fare to $1.00 During Off-Peak Hours

    Commissioner Crisanti moved the following motion:

    That the Chief Executive Officer report back to the TTC Board by June 22, 2015 on the feasibility of a six-month pilot program to reduce fare costs during off-peak hours to $1.00 for seniors.

    Commissioner Heisey moved the following motion:

    Whereas in November 2013 TTC staff reported to the Board on a variety of policy changes with respect to senior discounts. The Board chose not to make those changes.

    http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2013/October_23/Reports/TTC_Fare_Policy_Requ.pdf
    As a result of this report TTC staff began work with other city departments on a “Fare Equity Strategy” which was co-signed by the TTC and the City and endorsed by City Council. The detailed work on that strategy staff will report by the end of 2015 to City Council on that strategy and the role that PRESTO would play in any implementation.

    http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-70755.pdf

    Whereas in January of 2014 TTC staff reported to the Board on time-based transfers and indicated they are broadly a positive change, but possibly expensive, and not really achievable until PRESTO implementation.

    https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2014/January_28/Reports/Time_Based_Transfers.pdf

    Whereas in August 2014 TTC staff reported to the Board on the “Opportunities Report” that considered, among other things, the 2 hour transfer. The report was approved based on the need for funding. Everything was funded except the 2 hour transfer.

    https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2014/August_19/Supplementary_Reports/Opportunities_to_Improve_Transit_Service_in_Toronto.pdf
    Whereas in October 2015 TTC staff will be reporting to the Board on all new options that PRESTO will allow including different concessions, different fare policies (time based, directional, off-peak vs peak), Metropass vs daily / weekly caps., different policies that enable greater information, cash acceptance and a strategy for that etc.

    Therefore, be it resolved that the Board:

    1. Request staff report back as planned in October for a fulsome discussion on fare policy when PRESTO is in place and for when we remove legacy fare media (tokens etc.) and what the future for cash payments are including consideration of various fare options including:

    (i) fare by time of day
    (ii) 2 hour transfer
    (iii) Seniors fares by time of day, including $1.00 seniors fare during off-peak hours
    (iv) Fare by distance
    (v) Concession policy overall as informed by Fare Equity Strategy
    (vi) Monthly pass versus daily / weekly / monthly capping
    (vii) Free regular transit fares for Wheel-Trans qualified passengers in addition to the visually impaired

    2. Request that staff continue negotiations on a 2-hour transfer, with PRESTO and Metrolinx, to understand how that could be funded via savings in the PRESTO programme and in support of more regional fare integration.

    Discussion ensued regarding the order of voting and Commissioner Mihevc moved a procedural motion to vote on Commissioner Heisey’s motion first.

    The procedural motion by Commissioner Mihevc lost having not received the required two-thirds vote of the members present.
    Commissioner Campbell moved the following amendment to Commissioner Crisanti’s motion.

    That the words “in a briefing note” be inserted after the date “June 22, 2015” so the motion now reads as follows:
    “That the Chief Executive Officer report back to the TTC Board by June 22, 2015 in a briefing note on the feasibility of a six-month pilot program to reduce fare costs during off-peak hours to $1.00 for seniors”.

    The motion by Commissioner Campbell carried.

    Commissioner Crisanti’s motion carried, as amended.

    Commissioner Mihevc moved the following amendment to Part 1 of the recommendation in Commissioner Heisey’s motion:

    That the words “and in consultation with city fare equity staff” be inserted after the words “as planned” so Part 1 of the recommendation now reads as follows:

    “1. Request staff report back, as planned, and in consultation with city fare equity staff, in October for a fulsome discussion on fare policy when PRESTO is in place and for when we remove legacy fare media (tokens etc.) and what the future for cash payments are including consideration of various fare options including:

    (i) fare by time of day
    (ii) 2 hour transfer
    (iii) Seniors fares by time of day, including $1.00 seniors fare during off-peak hours
    (iv) Fare by distance
    (v) Concession policy overall as informed by Fare Equity Strategy
    (vi) Monthly pass versus daily / weekly / monthly capping
    (vii) Free regular transit fares for Wheel-Trans qualified passengers in addition to the visually impaired”.

    Commissioner Mihevc’s motion to amend Part 1 of the recommendation in Commissioner Heisey’s motion carried.

    Commissioner Mihevc further moved the following amendment to Part 2 of the recommendation in Commissioner Heisey’s motion:

    That the word “negotiations” be deleted and replaced with the word “discussions” so Part 2 of the recommendation now reads as follows:

    “2. Request that staff continue discussions on a 2-hour transfer, with PRESTO and Metrolinx, to understand how that could be funded via savings in the PRESTO programme and in support of more regional fare integration”.

    As this amendment was deemed to be a friendly amendment no vote was required and Commissioner Mihevc’s amendment to Part 2 of the recommendation in Commissioner Heisey’s motion carried.

    Chair Colle called for a recorded vote on Commissioner Heisey’s motion, as amended.

    In favour: Chair Colle, Vice-Chair Adamson, Commissioners Campbell, Carroll, Crisanti, Di Donato, Heisey, Mihevc and Minnan-Wong.
    Opposed: Nil

    Commissioner Heisey’s motion, as amended, carried unanimously.

    Communications on this item received from:
    Carolyn Johnson
    Mary Hynes

11. Correspondence

    Nil

     

    The meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m.

The Board unanimously approved the TTC’s 2015 Operating, Wheel-Trans and Capital Budgets. The budgets will be forwarded to the City of Toronto for submission to the City Budget process and for confirmation of the 2015 operating subsidy level. Here is what was approved:

Board Members approved expenses totalling $1.69 billion, with an assumed operating subsidy of $479 million. To balance its budget, the TTC would need a total subsidy of $488 million. The TTC is projecting a record ridership level of 545 million in 2015 (1.9 per cent higher than the 534.8 million achieved in 2014), while maintaining its cost-recovery rate at 71 per cent – one of the highest in North America. Based on the anticipated subsidy level of $478.9 million and a $9-million draw from the TTC Stabilization reserve, the 2015 budget will be balanced.

The Board approved a 10-cent increase in the price of a single Adult token ($2.80 from $2.70) effective on March 1, 2015, and a proportionate increase to all other fares, plus a one-trip increase in the price of the Adult Metropass. Commissioners also approved the elimination of the Child fare (children aged 12 and under will ride for free) while Cash fares remain unchanged. The fare increase is in line with the rate of inflation.

The 2015 budget includes $95-million worth of new and enhanced service priorities to improve existing services and add new services to meet ridership demand across Toronto. Here is a summary of the tangible service enhancements that customers can begin to see this year:

• More bus and streetcar service at off-peak periods to reduce crowding on approximately 67 routes, which will benefit 55 million customer trips and add 1.8 million new customer trips.
• A city-wide network of 10-minutes or better service frequency, which will benefit 48 million customer trips and add 1.8 million new customer trips.
• New express bus services at off-peak periods to provide faster and more comfortable journeys.
• Phased-in restoration of all-day, every day service on the vast majority of bus and streetcar routes starting this year and into 2016.
• Expand the overnight Blue Night network with approximately 12 additional bus and streetcar routes to reduce walking distances and add 300,000 new customer trips. The Board also approved the following motions presented by Commissioners Joe Mihevc and Shelley Carroll:
• The TTC reaffirm its commitment to discounted fares for low-income residents, and that the TTC work with the City and outside stakeholders prior to the 2016 TTC budget with a plan within the context of a poverty reduction strategy.
• The TTC with the City petition the Province to restore operating subsidies to the TTC to historic levels as part of its 2015 budget, and that the TTC work with the City to develop an advocacy plan in 2015 to that end.
• Social service agencies that purchased bulk TTC tokens are offered tokens at the same cost in 2015 as in 2014; the maximum number of discounted tokens to be equal to the amount purchased in 2014.
• TTC staff to develop a draft campaign to achieve a provincial operating subsidy on a per-rider basis and consult with the City Manager’s Office before bringing the requested draft campaign to the TTC Board.

Board Members approved a total of $1.15 billion for the 2015 portion of the 2015-2024 Capital Budget. The budget continues to provide for state-of-good-repair projects and legislative requirements (96 per cent of the total in the 10-year envelope). The 2015-2024 Capital Budget is worth $9.27 billion.

The 2015 portion includes vehicle procurements ($510 million) and infrastructure projects ($639 million).

Based on current funding assumptions, there is sufficient funding available to cover 2015 budgeted expenditures. But over the next five-year period the TTC is facing a $382-million shortfall; over the total 10-year-period the shortfall grows to $2.4 billion.

Board Members approved the 2015 Wheel-Trans Operating Budget worth $109.1 million. The funding will maintain a 24/7 specialized service, a customer accommodated rate at 99 per cent, accommodate six-per-cent more riders, and see upgrades to the scheduling system, call centre telephone system and internet trip-booking site. Total ridership in 2015 is projected at an all-time-high of 3.2 million trips.

This year Wheel-Trans will be investing in a rebuild program for its Friendly bus fleet and begin a testing a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle for future needs.

The next scheduled regular TTC Board meeting will be on Wed., Feb. 25 at Toronto City Hall, Council Chamber, starting at 10 a.m., with the public session starting at 1 p.m.