YFS fights proposed TTC service cuts

Victoria Alacron
Sports and Health Editor
Toronto mayor Rob Ford is proposing policy changes that will cut selected routes in Toronto.
The York Federation of Students (YFS) is lobbying against the proposed changes that would eliminate 41 different bus routes in Toronto. The changes would make trips longer for some students.
Darshika Selvasivam, vice-president of campaigns and advocacy for the YFS, lobbied at Toronto City Hall against the proposed changes on Feb. 2.
Their main argument? Students depend on the affordability and accessibility of these bus services,.
“Public transit and the TTC, would become a lot more costly if the transit commission were to cut service of the 41 routes that they are proposing,” said Selvasivam. “The loss in ridership would add up, and therefore it would become more and more costly because fewer people would be using the service.”
Ford is hoping commuters will come to rely on buses and the subway extension, set to arrive in 2015. According to Selvasivam, however, the addition of buses would contribute to existing pollution, and the subway extension would not support all the students dependent on transit streetcars.
A panel has yet to look over Ford’s proposed changes and is still under much debate.