TORONTO - (April 10, 2023) Today, Ana Bailão shared her public safety plan to make Toronto safer with measures that could be acted on today, in the coming months, and over the longer-term.  

Ana’s plan introduces measures that could be taken to make Toronto’s transit system, and Toronto’s streets safer, as well as measures to make Toronto safer in the longer-term.

Speaking about her plan, Ana Bailão said "From our subways to our parks to our streets, residents need to feel safe everywhere in our city. The challenges we’re seeing in our transit system are happening across our city, and in many cities across North America. There are immediate actions that can be taken today, and actions that need to be taken over the longer-term to make our city safer. This means support for police, mental healthcare, and outreach work, and support for long-term changes so violent offenders aren’t in our streets, transit workers are protected, and Toronto has a fair deal from the provincial and federal governments.” 

Safer Subways

• Immediately redeploy and hire TTC staff to have more eyes and ears at stations and on platforms across the city.
• Bring cell service across the TTC by putting Bell, Rogers, and Telus on notice and pushing the federal government to compel telcos to do so.
• Increase security camera coverage across the TTC.
• Reverse all transit cuts and increase cleaning schedules across transit stations.
  
  

Safer Streets

• Expand the Toronto Community Crisis Service to cover the entire city, connecting people in crisis with trained mental health professionals.
• Introduce Mobile Mental Health Clinics working with community health partners in high-priority neighbourhoods and transit stations.
  
  

Safer Tomorrow

• Enhance open data collection for better policies, because we can’t fix what we don’t know.
• Support amending subsection 269.01 of the Criminal Code to include all transit workers, not just operators, who face unacceptable harassment at work. 
• Support bail reform so violent, repeat offenders are not constantly in a revolving door between courts and city streets.
• Get a fair deal for Toronto from the federal and provincial government. The TTC, which is a regional transit system, moved more than a million people every day pre-pandemic. Toronto’s transit system is of provincial and national importance, like our airports and marine ports, and we need to make sure it is safe, reliable, clean, and convenient.
  
  

As Mayor, Ana would ensure that actions taken to make our city safer are coordinated across City divisions, police, public health, and community partners.

This isn’t an either or choice. In addition to these measures Ana would take as Mayor, she supports the actions taken by the Toronto Police to deploy additional officers across the transit system when needed, and ongoing work to expand the Neighborhood Community Officer program, and to address 9-1-1 wait times.

City Councillor and TTC Board member Paul Ainslie voiced his strong support for this plan saying “We need all hands on deck to make our transit system and our city safer. The plan Ana is bringing forward will make us safer today, tomorrow, and in the long-term.” 

The challenges Toronto is facing are being faced by many cities across North America. The problems have been exacerbated by the pandemic, and by chronic underfunding of mental healthcare and housing from other levels of government. Cities have become the frontline service providers for vulnerable residents all across Canada. By investing in services and by building housing we can support our most vulnerable neighbours and make our city a better place to call home.

Ana is running with a plan to fix services, build housing, and make life more affordable for residents. Ana has the experience to deliver on her vision for a better Toronto. She has a proven track record and will work with City Councillors, with other governments, and with community leaders to fix services, and deliver for Toronto.

You can follow Ana’s campaign on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.