TTC doesn’t have money to make all subway stops accessible

TORONTO – Despite provincial legislation commanding the TTC to make all 69 subway stops in Toronto accessible to people with disabilities, the commission says there is simply not enough money to complete the job.

“The TTC is still committed to being fully accessible,” Brad Ross, a spokesperson for the TTC said.

He added the TTC is lobbying the Liberal government for more money to comply with rules the province itself enacted.

“It doesn’t reflect well on this city that we haven’t done it” says Peter Athanasopoulus, the manager of public relations for Spinal Cord Ontario told Global News.   He uses a wheelchair, and says getting around the city on transit requires creative thinking to avoid the 34 subway stops that currently have no elevator access.

Dufferin and Lawrence West Stations will both have elevators by the end of 2014 as those stations are retrofitted, but the TTC says safety upgrades must come before completing the so called Easier Access program.

According to the Commission’s latest report, it needs $240 million dollars more to retrofit the last remaining stations by 2015.

Stations below currently have funding for construction in the TTC 2014 – 2023 Capital Budget:

Stations below do not have funding for construction in the TTC 2014 – 2023 Capital Budget: