The City of Toronto's ombudsman, Kwame Addo, has criticized the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) for its decision to discontinue tokens and tickets as fare options, highlighting several deficiencies in the decision-making process. The ombudsman's 65-page report notes that the TTC did not adequately involve the public, lacked documentation, and failed to properly outline how the decision was made.
The issues came to light when complaints began pouring into the ombudsman's office following the TTC's announcement in 2024 that all tokens and tickets would cease to be accepted for fare payment by the end of that year. The cutoff date was later extended to mid-2025 for the conventional TTC system and to the end of 2025 for the Wheel-Trans service. Many riders expressed concerns over their substantial investments in tokens and tickets, fearing losses of hundreds of dollars, a sentiment echoed by transit advocates.
During the investigation, it became apparent that there was confusion amongst TTC officials and board members regarding who was responsible for the decision to discontinue tokens and tickets. The report indicated that some board members attributed the decision to the board itself, while others claimed it was a staff decision, and ultimately, the TTC could not produce documentation to clarify the matter. This uncertainty extended to discussions about who should have made refund decisions for the discontinued fare options.
The report also highlighted logistical and financial challenges faced by TTC staff in designing a refund or exchange program for the discontinued tokens and tickets. In October 2024, TTC board members learned that approximately 6.7 million tokens and 573,000 tickets—valued collectively at around $24 million—were still in circulation. However, the report warned that potential losses from fares not collected, damaged tickets, or tokens kept in personal collections were not included in this estimate. The TTC had ceased the sale of tokens and tickets in 2019, focusing instead on promoting the Presto fare card system and facilitating open payments through credit and debit cards.
Despite TTC's acknowledgment of fiscal pressures, the ombudsman's report asserted that the agency failed to gauge the impacts of these changes on its riders. The investigation revealed a lack of public consultation or equity impact analysis concerning fare-related decisions, contributing to larger issues of fairness in the TTC's decision-making processes. The report emphasized the necessity for clear operational guidelines to ensure transparent, fair, and accountable decision-making.
When it came to refund requests for holders of tokens and tickets, the TTC staff denied all claims. The agency justified this stance by citing a non-existent fare policy document, while some staff members relied on an outdated policy that was not known to all involved in the refund requests. The ombudsman’s office noted that these issues were not isolated incidents, with one executive claiming that many problems echoed the refund situation.
In response to the findings, the ombudsman’s office issued eight recommendations aimed at reforming the TTC's fare decision-making practices. These included establishing a comprehensive, board-approved process for explaining fare decisions, implementing equity impact analyses, creating a public dashboard for directives and board requests, providing clearer reports to the board, and updating various agency policy documents. The report stressed the importance of public institutions being able to articulate their decision-making processes transparently.
Following the investigation, TTC Chair Jamaal Myers provided a response, stating that the transit agency would accept all recommendations and aimed to implement changes by mid-2027. He emphasized the TTC's commitment to upholding public trust, transparency, accountability, and equity in its operations. Mayor Olivia Chow also commented on the report, noting that improvements in communication and processes were assured by the TTC board in light of the issues raised. She attributed the problems to leadership transitions within the agency at the time of the discontinuation announcement.
