ACAT Meeting - March 31, 2022

Minutes of Meeting:

ACAT General Meeting

Meeting Date:

Thursday, March 31, 2022
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location:

Virtual meeting via Webex

Present:

Debbie Gillespie, Co-Vice Chair (Acting ACAT Chair)
Anita Dressler, Co-Vice Chair
Gwyneth Dalzell
Carmen Galvan, SPS Chair
Angela Marley, CS Chair
Sean Hollingsworth
Wangari Muriuki
Craig Nichol, DRS Chair
Bobbi Moore
Janice Shachter
Lauri Sue Robertson, WTOS Chair
Erica Tanny
Howard Wax
Lauren Foote

Pool Members:

Robert Hampson

Regrets:

Jonathan Marriott, ACAT Chair

TTC Representatives:

Josie La Vita, Chief Financial Officer, TTC
Jim Ross, Chief Operating Officer, TTC
Kirsten Watson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, TTC
Dwayne Geddes, Head of Wheel-Trans, Wheel-Trans
John Boucher, Manager of Bus Maintenance, Wheel-Trans
Heather Brown, Manager of Customer Communications
Matt Hagg, Manager of Customer Experience and Fare Policy (Acting)
Dean Milton, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Wheel-Trans 
Cameron Penman, Divisional Manager of Customer Service, Wheel-Trans
Mohammed Shaikh, Divisional Manager of Operations, Wheel-Trans
Lodon Hassan, Assistant Manager of Customer Service, Wheel-Trans
Marco Iorfida, Scheduling and Policy Specialist, Wheel-Trans 
Maria Khan, Senior Communications Advisor
Victoria Kolakowski, Travel Specialist, Travel Training Program, Wheel-Trans
Brittany Manu, Anti-Racism Policy Consultant
Paolo Nicolas, Administrative Assistant, Wheel-Trans

Items discussed

1. Call to Order / Attendance
2. Land Acknowledgement
3. Declaration of Conflict of Interest
4. Approval of Agenda
5. Review and Approval of February 24, 2022 Minutes
6. Remarks from ACAT Chair
7. Remarks from TTC Executive
8. Outstanding Items – ACAT Honoraria, Identification for ACAT members without a transit pass
9. Deputation: Nil
10. Review of Correspondence:
    • Link for Year-In Review from the 2021 ACAT Chair
    • Tianna McFarlane – Line 4 – Sheppard West Station
11. COVID-19 update from Dwayne Geddes
    • Presentation on plans to continue the mask mandate
    • Return to in-person meetings
12. Wheel-Trans Transformation update from Dwayne Geddes
13. Subcommittee Reports, Highlights and Updates
    • Communications
    • Design Review
    • Service Planning
    • Wheel-Trans Operations
14. New Business
15. Next Meeting – April 28, 2022
16. Adjournment

1. Call to Order / Attendance

Debbie Gillespie, Co-Vice Chair (Acting ACAT Chair), called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. and attendance was taken.

2. Land Acknowledgement

The land acknowledgement was read by the Acting ACAT Chair.

3. Declaration of Conflict of Interest

No conflicts of interest were declared.

4. Approval of Agenda

On a motion by Bobbi Moore and seconded by Janice Shachter, the agenda was approved with no amendments. All members were in favour.

5. Review and Approval of February 24, 2022 Minutes

Angela Marley moved to approve the February 24, 2022 minutes. This approval was seconded by Lauri Sue Robertson. All members were in favour.

6. Remarks from ACAT Chair

The Chair’s remarks, written by Jonathan Marriott, ACAT Chair, were read out by Paolo Nicolas, Administrative Assistant, TTC as follows:

“Providing meaningful accessibility so that all of our community can participate is extremely important to me. It is the reason why I work in this industry, and it is the reason why I am an advocate.

I am unable to Chair this month's meeting as I have been invited to the Global Accessibility and Inclusion Leadership Summit in Israel. While I am sorry I am unable to attend the meeting, I am very excited about the opportunity to learn from other leaders across the world and continue to advocate for meaningful access. I hope that I can bring back some tangible learnings to support my role on this committee.

A message of thanks

I’d like to express my sincere thanks to the ACAT Executive Team for their support. I’d also like to personally thank Debbie Gillespie, ACAT Vice-Chair for kindly chairing the March 31st ACAT meeting and deputizing the last month.

I’d also like to thank Carmen Galvan for organizing the online social event earlier this month. The event was a huge success and there were numerous emails from committee members echoing these sentiments. I am very much looking forward to attending the next one. Potential dates have been circulated by email for all ACAT members.

Report on the Quarterly Meeting

Earlier this month the ACAT Executive met with the TTC Chair, Vice-Chair and the TTC CEO. I have followed up individually with all members who provided specific agenda items.

I asked if there were any specific areas of projects that ACAT could benefit from prioritizing in its general or subcommittee meetings.

Scott Haskill, Chief Strategy and Customer Officer (Acting) noted that the Annual Service Plan is a part of the TTC’s 5-Year Service Plan.

Following consultations with local communities, the Plan was introduced as the embodiment of a medium- to long-term strategic view of what needs to be done at the TTC. The Plan indicates what the TTC expects to do and the annual service report keeps track of what has been done which ensures public accountability. It should be noted that the TTC is also about to start its 2023 annual process, which will begin internally before being brought to ACAT where details will be revealed.
It was noted that ACAT has not seen any of the stations planned for Line 5, despite it getting close to the opening date. The TTC is committed to escalating issues and supporting ACAT in obtaining the information and follow-up it needs in relation to station reviews and design. The TTC acknowledges that cross-organizational relationships are essential and they will continue to drive this from an Executive level.

The final discussion piece was around ‘return to in-person meetings,’ which will be explored more as part of the Agenda Items for the March 31 meeting.

Housekeeping

Conversations and constructive debate is a key part of any committee and I’d like to thank everyone for their contributions and comments. At the end of each month, I will send out a summary email of the topics discussed as part of a proposed agenda. I will always include a cut-off date for agenda items. If items are received after this period, they can be considered in the ‘new business’ section.

I’d like to remind everyone of the ACAT terms of reference. When communicating via email it is important that the correct distribution list be used so that all of the current members have the opportunity to join in the discussion. Differences of opinion are part of the discussion; however, I’d also like to ask that all comments remain constructive both amongst members and those directed towards staff.

Lastly, a copy of the Year in Review from 2021 has been included with this meeting pack. This presentation was a great reminder of all of ACAT’s achievements across the last year. At the suggestions of ACAT members, it has been proposed that this presentation can be used as both a recruitment and onboarding tool for new members.

I look forward to meeting with you all soon.”

The Acting Chair noted that the Doodle poll has some issues in terms of accessibility, namely that navigating it would be an issue, and advised the committee to send their availability to Carmen Galvan.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

One member was concerned about the upcoming Line 5 opening for which the committee has still not been given a date. Josie La Vita explained that the TTC has been working toward a planning date of October 9, 2022, however Metrolinx has yet to confirm this date. The member stated that ACAT has its own work to be done before the opening of the line and that members were still waiting on information for station descriptions. Kirsten Watson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, TTC said that the TTC has also been requesting this information, but it is unclear whether or not Metrolinx has concrete information just yet. Kirsten appreciated the members’ concerns and suggested that they begin working with the ACAT Chair to provide a briefing to check the status on that. The Acting Chair confirmed ACAT’s interest in this.

7. Remarks from TTC Executive

The remarks were given by Josie la Vita, Chief Financial Officer, TTC. This is Josie’s first meeting with ACAT. Josie stated her responsibilities as Chief Financial Officer includes Finance, Information Technology, and Procurement. In those three areas, the goal is always to work with the TTC Executives to ensure that all of the priorities of both the TTC and ACAT are being addressed. From a financial perspective, Josie has been collaborating with Dwayne Geddes, Head of Wheel-Trans, TTC and Jim Ross, Chief Operating Officer, TTC on the Wheel-Trans Transformation, the Easier Access Program, and on the operational side, they have been working through any outstanding issues. Being an inclusive and accessible service provider is a key priority in the TTC and it is Josie’s aim to make sure these initiatives are being funded.

8. Outstanding Items – ACAT Honoraria, Identification for ACAT members without a transit pass

Dwayne Geddes, Head of Wheel-Trans, Wheel-Trans updated the committee on a few outstanding items. 

ACAT Honoraria

Dwayne has been working closely with the TTC’s legal department and is making headway in the situation. There is an update planned for Q2 in place.
Identification for ACAT members without a transit pass

This was an idea originally presented by Anita Dressler, Co-Vice Chair and Janice Shachter. Dwayne is working on this right now, especially because the TTC will be taking steps toward in-person meetings. ACAT members, who do not have a transit pass, will be given an identification badge and at every location where meetings are planned, security personnel will be advised until the ID badges are implemented.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

There was also some concern for another issue wherein members of ACAT had been accused of acting inappropriately. Dwayne let the committee know that there was an investigation and no fault had been found on the part of ACAT or its members. When asked if the result could be issued to members in writing, he responded affirmatively.

In regards to the building passes, one member felt that they would be needed most at the gate at Hillcrest and at Leslie Barns on Lakeshore. The member advised that security should be told when ACAT was coming. He assured the member that security would be given an attendance list on meeting days.

9. Deputation: 

Nil.

10. Review of Correspondence:

• Link for Year-In Review from the 2021 ACAT Chair
  The Acting Chair expressed her thanks for the former ACAT Chair, Igor Samardzic, who prepared a PowerPoint presentation year-end review of 2021. This was attached to the December 8, 2021 TTC Board meeting minutes on the TTC website. The Chair’s review was a useful tool for training and marketing strategies.
• Tianna McFarlane – Line 4 – Sheppard West Station
  ACAT received an email from Tianna McFarlane, a member of the public who was travelling westbound on Line 4 toward Sheppard-Yonge Station. She wanted to go to York University, so she transferred to a bus at Yonge and Sheppard to go to Sheppard West station on Line 1 to get to York University station. Tianna suggested that the subway be connected to prevent this from happening, but the possibility of this is unlikely. She also asked that ACAT discuss this and possible solutions in their meeting.

Discussion and Suggestions

A member was concerned that Tianna’s story suggests that there are not enough buses running between the two stations. In terms of accessibility, a customer would also need to use four different elevators in order to complete this trip. 

Another member wondered if a Family of Services trip would help in the situation in which Wheel-Trans could transport Tianna from one station to the next. This member also voiced the opinion that Sheppard-Yonge Station is a little under-serviced and that a conventional or Wheel-Trans bus coming in every hour or possibly going up and down Sheppard Avenue would be helpful in general. Another member felt that this could be an idea to explore, but that it might be best to look into one of the existing routes that some into the station and simply extend it to Sheppard West Station. That way, people could avoid the elevators at Sheppard-Yonge and get on the buses instead.

A member felt that while bus service between the stations was actually quite good with only a 10-minute wait, the walk from the subway to the buses was the biggest issue making Sheppard-Yonge a problematic station for some travelers.

Dwayne thought these were all great comments and worth looking into with the Service Planning Subcommittee or the Design Review Subcommittee. 
Matt Hagg, Manager of Customer Experience and Fare Policy (Acting), TTC remarked that these were suggestions worth reviewing with Service Planning but advised that some issues would need to be looked at to avoid duplicating other conventional bus routes.

The Acting ACAT Chair thanked Tianna McFarlane for bringing this issue to ACAT’s attention and thanked both members and staff for their suggestions. This discussion highlighted what ACAT does best, which is coming up with creative solutions to bring to TTC staff. The Char hopes that staff will take some of what was discussed here into consideration.

11. COVID-19 update from Dwayne Geddes

• Presentation on plans to continue the mask mandate
  Dwayne informed the committee that Wheel-Trans customers would still be asked to wear masks. Toronto Public Health officials will do a review and the recommendations that come from it will be presented to ACAT. 
• Return to in-person meetings
  The TTC is looking into a return to in-person meetings. This will be approached as a hybrid model at first. This is still a few months away. TTC Board will meet in person first. If this goes well, there will be plans to do the same with ACAT meetings.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

One member voiced that they noticed a decrease in the number of Operators on the conventional system wearing masks over the past month or so. They hoped that there was consistent messaging internally to advise both staff and customers.

Another member asked if Wheel-Trans would be allowing multiple passengers onboard and whether those passengers would still be required to fill out a COVID-19 questionnaire. Dwayne responded affirmatively to both of those questions. Ride sharing services returned on March 20. Contracted vehicles will still only take solo rides.

A member noted the great interactions they have had with customer service, but an incident recently had concerned them. The member had come down with a cold and scheduled a round trip to an assessment centre with Wheel-Trans. While Wheel-Trans honoured these trips, future trips that the member had scheduled were cancelled without their knowledge. On top of that, they were also blocked on the booking website. The member understands that this was done as a precaution but felt there should have been some communication on behalf of Wheel-Trans that their trips were cancelled until they could update Wheel-Trans on their health status. Dwayne felt this was a good point and will take that back.

Another member asked whether in-person meetings would take place at 1900 Yonge Street or if they would carry on virtually. Dwayne responded that the TTC will be trying a hybrid approach with its board meetings and based on that and member feedback, they may slowly move in that direction with ACAT meetings as well. One member felt that a hybrid model would be the best choice as to respect the perspectives of members who wanted to go back in person and those who did not yet feel ready.

12. Wheel-Trans Transformation update from Dwayne Geddes

Dwayne explained that the TTC would continue to work with Dean Milton, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Wheel-Trans on expanding the Family of Services (FOS) routes. The TTC is encouraging ACAT members and the public to act as liaisons between themselves and local organizations to spread information about the FOS program.

Wheel-Trans has received good feedback on the self-booking website in terms of design and ease of use; 70 percent of trips booked were done through the website.

13. Subcommittee Reports, Highlights and Updates

Communications Subcommittee (CS – Angela Marley, CS Chair)

The Communication Subcommittee met on March 3, 2022 on Microsoft Teams.

Parth Suthaharan, TTC and Jennifer Lavery of IBI gave a presentation on the pilot project to help relieve congestion at St. George, Dundas, and St. Andrew stations.

The project will target certain areas to ease passenger movement during rush hour. The pilot will span four weeks after which it will be evaluated.

Alicia Fowlie, Communications Specialist, Customer Communications, TTC gave a presentation on the ACAT 30th Anniversary Communication Plan. Specifically, the plan is meant to build public awareness through earned and social media to spark interest in and encourage people to get involved by joining or by giving deputations. The key message was for public communication to emphasize TTC’s key accessibility achievements over the decades and include the information on the TTC website. TTC staff would like to know which accessibility initiatives ACAT would like to highlight. The CS Chair sent them a list of milestones and encouraged the other members to do the same. Alicia is planning a digital advertising campaign that will include videos that highlight past accessibility accomplishments and what accessible transit will look like in the future.

Ian Dickson, Manager of Design and Wayfinding, TTC shared a document on Line 5 vehicle announcements to ensure consistency across the system. Ideally, they should be similar to those on the subway. The Line 5 vehicle can be thought of as a hybrid between the structure of a streetcar and the experience of a subway. 
At-grade stations were proposed to be distinguished from underground stations by calling them “stops” (for example, “Next stop O’Connor, O’Connor Stop”). This difference would be communicated to customers in advance, but members felt that the difference between a stop and a station are too subtle and suggested other terms (such as mid-road platform). Ian explained that the term “stop” was being used for consistency with the TTC system terminology, but suggestions were welcome. Many members were concerned that customers need to be advised when a stop involves a mid-road platform to assure them that they are going to be in a safe protected area. Customers also need to be advised when there is a station transition to and from the underground. This is something that Torontonians have not seen before and so communication is important especially as an accessibility concern.

Maria Khan, Senior Digital Communication Advisor of Digital Communications, TTC gave an update to the subcommittee on the TTC website and Paul Tran, Community Liaison Officer, Wheel-Trans, informed the subcommittee that shared rides would be reintroduced on March 20.

The next meeting of the Communications Subcommittee will be on April 7.

Highlights

• Line 5 vehicle announcements 
• ACAT’s 30th Anniversary Communication Plan

Questions and Comments from the Committee

One member, who is not a member of Communications but was present for this meeting, wanted to emphasize to staff the importance of making structural and design elements that are easy for people with disabilities to follow. It is also important that staff follow up on feedback for the Line 5 stop announcements. The CS Chair concurred with these sentiments, stating that both could pose a safety issue for some customers.  

Another member was concerned with escalators changing directions in ways that did not match the signs associated with them. They had experienced this and found it frustrating to approach these escalators and find it were not going in the direction they thought they would. The CS Chair explained that at all three of the aforementioned stations; there were issues with congestion that staff thought they could remedy with changes to the escalators and fare gates (excluding the accessible fare gates, which will remain bidirectional). Escalator directional changes at rush hour are already in place at some stations and reflected in their respective station descriptions so staff wanted to demo the same concept at these stations as well. The member thanked the CS Chair for the background information and in response, wanted to mention that many people having neuro-divergence and people with physical disabilities are used to rigid routines that help them navigate. These may be disrupted by these changes. As important as crowd control is, the member asked that this be considered as well.

Another member added that changing escalators could also post a health hazard for some customers having to use the stairs instead. It may also be detrimental for people taking a Family of Services trip. The CS Chair responded that all of this speaks to the importance of educating the public about these stations, including station descriptions and customer service representatives on site.

Another member added that any improvements in regards to capacity need to harmonize with existing wayfinding strategies. Their observation was that the consultant study seemed to be a stand-alone piece but how these changes fit into the whole system needs to be considered. In regards to Line 5, the member suggested that an orientation to the line would be beneficial so that customers could learn by experiencing it. Dwayne responded to this saying that the TTC is currently making plans for a future Line 5 presentation.

Design Review Subcommittee (DRS) – Craig Nichol, DRS Chair

The Design Review Subcommittee met on March 2, 2022. 

Becky Katz, Manager of Cycling and Pedestrian Projects, City of Toronto gave the subcommittee an update on the City Cycling Project. Specifically, the presentation was about looking at the project from an accessibility perspective and outlining goals for 2022 that included creating standards for interactions between bike lanes and accessible boarding zones. The DRS Chair left the meeting feeling that Becky had a better understanding of the subcommittee’s concerns and a proper objective in mind for making changes across the board. The subcommittee questioned the value of painted curb extensions, as they do not actually shorten the crossing distance. To this, Becky explained that the purpose of these extensions were to create more distance between pedestrians (who must still wait at the edge of the physical curb) and oncoming vehicles. 

In response to DRS’ concerns about safety and accessibility of narrow Davisville platforms, Janusz Sycz, Chief Architect, TTC and Basil Franjieh, Structural Engineer, TTC gave a presentation on the Davisville Station Northbound Platform. The presentation revealed serious structural restraints to relocating elevators, escalators and stairs to remove the narrow areas. There are areas of the platform that are only 1.5 meters wide including the tactile indicators. This is narrow enough that many people, especially people who use mobility devices, cannot pass. 

The subcommittee gave some suggestions on how to remedy this, including a Union Station-style structure to extend both the north- and southbound platform edges. A motion was created and will be presented at the next Design Review meeting to ensure all of the members are satisfied with it.

Some members outlined a situation in which one person using a mobility device was stuck on the platform. Having exited the train on a narrow portion, they found themselves unable to move without fear of falling. This person had to wait for the next train to pull into the station so that they could board it, exit at the next station, and then take the train in the opposite direction to go back to Davisville. 

Another suggestion was that the shelters along the platform could be removed as an interim measure although it would still leave the narrow space at the stairs and escalators.

ECLRT – Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit

In new business, the DRS Chair inquired about new information kiosks being installed at some stations and their purpose. This question has been passed along to Metrolinx for a response.

The next meeting of the Design Review Subcommittee will be on April 6.

Highlights

City of Toronto developing bike lanes at TTC stops and the Davisville platform issue.

Service Planning Subcommittee (SPS) – Carmen Galvan, SPS Chair

The City of Toronto (with TTC and Metrolinx as partners) acquired an automated shuttle vehicle for evaluation with the goal of passenger service. However, due to many issues and an accident with a separate autonomous shuttle pilot project in Whitby that used a different vehicle from the same manufacturer, the trial concluded prior to launching for passenger service.

Since the vehicle was leased from another company, the project partners had no input into the original design. While the vehicle met accessibility requirements, the features were limited: lack of space for guide dogs, only one priority seating space, and further issues with ramp design and deployment. During testing, one passenger who used a wheelchair found securement looser than on other TTC vehicles, causing discomfort as their wheelchair moved when the vehicle stopped abruptly. Seatbelts were difficult for people with vision impairment to find since they were located too far behind the seat. In light of the feedback received, it was resolved that the incorporation of accessibility design should be implemented at the beginning of each project.  

One of the technologies the vehicle used was real-time kinetics which assists with the vehicle’s spatial sensory to align with the curb properly. Although the technology is supposed to be very precise (within a few centimetres), inclement weather conditions (like a cloudy day, for example) seemed to affect its ability to accurately dock to the curb. 

The subcommittee had questions about how this vehicle adapted to snowbanks, garbage bins, and other debris as well as other drivers. Garbage bins, parked cars and other drivers caused issues for the navigation system. Navigating snowbanks would likely have been an issue but the vehicle did not operate in snowbank conditions during testing.

The team behind this project will be presenting their findings to the TTC board.

Highlights

• AV Shuttle Vehicle presentation

Questions and Comments from the Committee

A member asked if the team mentioned how many people tested the vehicle and of that number, how many were ACAT members. The SPS Chair responded that she was aware of some ACAT members testing the vehicle but was not given a specific number. Matt Hagg also knew of one as well as CNIB clients and a Metrolinx Accessibility Advisory Committee member.

Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittee (WTOS) – Lauri-Sue Robertson, WTOS Chair

The Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittee met on March 16, 2022. There was a discussion with Steve Wilks, Associate, IBI Group on the Wheel-Trans Transformation Program, which is half-way to completion. Steve mentioned that ACAT would receive a report within the next few months on how it will move forward. 
The objective of the discussion was to focus on the customer experience of the existing technology; what works well, and what needs improvement as well as any suggestions the subcommittee may have to enhance the customer experience. These technologies include things like the Wheel-Trans App, PRETSO, the self-registration process, the Self-Booking Website and others. The WTOS Chair shared a personal experience where her ride was late and she was able to use the Wheel-Trans App to know exactly when her ride would arrive. She has personally found the app to be very useful. 

Victoria Kolakowski, Travel Specialist, Travel Training Program, Wheel-Trans gave the subcommittee a short update on travel training. On May 24, there will be a bus familiarization session as well as a photoshoot for promotional materials on March 23rd. Victoria offered members the opportunity to participate in the photoshoot. 
Dean Milton, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, Wheel-Trans had a few Family of Services updates to keep customers and the committee on top of any new developments or work being done to promote it.

The TTC is now entering Wave 6 of Family of Services transfer stops, which refers to stops where vehicles pick up and drop off customers to connect to and from conventional service. The final wave will bring 560 stops across the city. All of the work done to hybridize each stop will likely be finished for April. Mandatory trip matching will be implemented in June 2022.

A member suggested that the half-hour customers must wait when their Wheel-Trans ride does not arrive should be reduced to 15 minutes since once they have finished reporting it; the time they have spent outside in possibly an uncomfortable place is closer to an hour. Cameron Penman, Divisional Manager of Customer Service, Wheel-Trans responded that this was being investigated, but there is no way to change this at this time.

The WTOS Chair also brought up an incident where she could not be picked up in the same place where she was dropped off and the confusion this caused. Marco Iorfida, Scheduling and Policy Specialist, Wheel-Trans will address this in the next WTOS meeting.

A member voiced their concern with the attitudes of some of the contracted drivers and how customers sometimes feel too intimidated to advocate for themselves. Lodon Hassan, Assistant Manager of Customer Service, Wheel-Trans will address this with the taxi companies and reminded members that they were welcome to take part in driver training. 

The WTOS Chair asked how Wheel-Trans manages to fill rides at difficult times, to which Lodon responded Wheel-Trans always does its best to accommodate customers, as shown by its low rejection rate of about 0.2%. Most rides are being fulfilled.

The next meeting of the Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittee will be on April 20.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

One member asked about how many ProMaster 7 vehicles are on the road currently as well as how many are planned for the future. Dwayne said there were two or three and that as operators are being trained, more will be put out. It is expected that there will be a few more every few weeks. When asked for more clarification, Dwayne stated that these were the bigger vehicles and that 100 are currently on order.

The Acting Chair then reminded the committee that highlights from these reports are brought to the TTC board meeting each month.

Highlights

• Wheel-Trans Transformation Program

14. New Business

Gender Pronouns

One member mentioned that on some of the other committees she is on, people introduce themselves by stating their pronouns. She wondered if the members of ACAT were also interested in this. Some members voiced their support of this. The Acting Chair asked TTC staff what TTC policy was regarding this. Paolo Nicolas will look into this. Paolo also mentioned that the minute taker is compiling an Excel sheet so that once people state their pronouns; they can be recorded. 
One member said they were in favour of this and believed it should be mentioned in the ACAT Terms of Reference. They also wondered if there were any issues with this around confidentiality as they had thought the avoidance of gendering members in the minutes was to help keep their identities confidential. For motions or things where members can be mentioned specifically, however, they believed their pronouns should be respected. 

Another member noted that there were debates on this topic on other committees they sit on. One suggestion that came out of those debates was that people could use initials where applicable. 

Another member suggested that people can post their pronouns as part of their username on Webex with their given name coming first and their pronouns listed second. People can also be given the option to opt out of stating their pronouns and they/them can be used to avoid making assumptions. 

A member felt offended by the issue and felt that people who feel the need to state their pronouns should do so without everyone being required to follow suit.

Another member believed it was an important issue in terms of increasing inclusivity and respect. She acknowledged that it might be a little different for people who have not grown up with the concept, but emphasized that the purpose was ultimately to make spaces safer for others.

One member asked TTC staff if ACAT should be informed about this by staff working in inclusivity. The Acting Chair responded that it seems to be a work in progress and suggested that the committee wait to hear an answer. The issue could be made an agenda item at the next review meeting.

Passenger Assistance Intercoms

One member wanted to discuss the Passenger Assistance Intercoms (PAIs) and its location in each station was being communicated to customers. As Collector Booths are closing, Customer Service Assistants will be available and the location of PAIs is still good information for customers to know, especially for people who are visually impaired. Heather Brown, Manager of Customer Communications, TTC mentioned that this would be an agenda item at the upcoming Communication Subcommittee meeting.

PRESTO’s New Fare Device

One member mentioned visiting the Mount Dennis Bus Garage with a former member to look at the new tap-on device proposed for installation onto buses.

Specifically, the purpose of this trip was to analyze the positioning of this device on multiple vehicle models. The device has space for a few features that will be implemented over time including payment via credit card, debit card and tickets with bar codes. The member asked if these are to be installed on streetcars as well and Heather Brown responded that the TTC would likely use these devices all over the system to allow for different forms of payment. The Acting Chair suggested that this would probably require a presentation to ACAT once more plans are made.

15. Next Meeting

April 28, 2022

16. Adjournment

The motion to adjourn was moved by Craig Nicol. The meeting was adjourned at 3:14 p.m. 

Gabriella Providence
Recording Secretary