“This proposed budget will mean change in Torontonians’ lives today. Change means libraries open seven days a week, transit fares frozen while TTC service increases and thousands more kids fed meals at schools and summer camps,” Chow told reporters at city hall.
“Pools open sooner and longer; renovictions prevented by taking housing off the market and more support for tenants; traffic agents to keep Toronto moving and emergency responders arriving sooner when you need them most.”
☝️Now that’s how a politician should talk about taxes.
These aren’t the only tiers out there. Corporate Canada pays well. Private union shops typically pay well too. The more of those there are, the more jobs one can apply for which aren’t precarious health ruining garbage. The less of those there are, the more people will be in these conditions. That’s what it comes down to. It’s a continuum and if you move, you either go in one or the other direction. The only way up for us working people is to have more people being paid better through whatever working arrangements that can occur.
Unfortunately in our system organizing private firms to get higher wages and better working conditions falls on the shoulders of employees. Fortunately established unions do help.
The prices of transit services around the world are subsidized. As they should be. TTC is one of the least subsidized services in the world. It makes most of its revenue from fares. This is why you see the fares you see. Remember the $3B Doug Ford gave in cheques to people of all incomes? If he spent that on TTC subsidies, fares could be free for 2-3 years.