By Edward Lander and Amira Benjamin

The Toronto Metropolitan Association of Part-time Students (TMAPS) and transit advocacy group TTCriders hosted a town hall on Thursday evening, discussing how transit issues play into the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 26.

The meeting held at Oakham Lounge featured presentations from TTCriders on the city’s transit issues and why students should consider where candidates stand on transit when heading to the polls.

Although the town hall saw low attendance, a spirited discussion of transit improvement was still had. Throughout the town hall, presenters and attendees emphasized that transit issues are also student issues. 

Much of the discussion centered around the TTC’s new fare capping program, which lets riders board for free after 47 trips within the calendar month.

In her re-election bid, Mayor Olivia Chow has said she will extend the program, promising riders just 10 taps before fares become free for the remainder of the week.

Members of TTCriders said while fare capping is a step in the right direction, because the discount does not currently apply to those with a post-secondary monthly pass, the program is leaving student riders out of the picture.

The TTC currently advises students to continue using the post-secondary pass rather than taking advantage of fare capping, as this “guarantees the lowest fare and best value.”

The event saw a presentation from Toronto Metropolitan Graduate Students’ Union (TMGSU) general manager and Ward 13 councillor candidate, Walied Khogali Ali.

Khogali Ali said during his time as executive director of the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, he was involved in the creation of the first U-Pass in the Greater Toronto Area. The initiative provided students at the  university with unlimited free access to Mississauga’s transit network, MiWay via a levy on their tuition.

“Students should not be paying hundreds of dollars in transit. It’s a barrier,” he said. 

Khogali Ali said he is an advocate of free transit for students and would like to see similar initiatives at Toronto universities. 

Andrew Pulsifer, executive director of TTCriders, said the group has been pressuring candidates to commit to transit improvements ahead of the election.

Part of this initiative is the creation of a pledge for candidates, declaring they will, “work to keep transit affordable for riders, support transit priority measures like dedicated lanes and advocate for increased investment in service so that transit is faster, more frequent and more reliable.”

Among the 73 current signees of the pledge are Ward 13 incumbent city councillor Chris Moise as well as his competitors, Curran Stikuts and Nicki Ward.

“We are trying to make sure that everyone who is running for office knows that transit riders are paying attention,” said Pulsifer.

Pulsifer said the Toronto Metropolitan University town hall was one of many the group has held. “We partner with local community groups to hear from local transit riders about their experiences taking transit,” he said.

He added that TTCriders is working towards the creation of a guide about where Toronto’s candidates stand on transit.

Some at the event questioned whether free transit is a real possibility, citing the system’s reliance on fares for funding.

While it’s unclear what per cent students make up of TTC ridership, a 2025 report on the TTC’s operating budget found that 38 per cent of the system’s funding came from passenger revenue.

Since 1998, when the provincial government ended its annual subsidies to the TTC, the network has relied heavily on rider fares to stay afloat financially, according to Global News.

The event wrapped up with an open conversation, where organizers encouraged attendees to share their thoughts on how transit in the city could be improved.