ACAT Meeting - August 28, 2025

Minutes of Meeting:

ACAT General Meeting

Meeting Date:

Thursday, August 28, 2025
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location:

Hybrid meeting via Teams

Present:

Betty Rivington Law, ACAT Chair
Lori Bailey, ACAT Vice-Chair
Sophie Petrillo, ACAT Vice-Chair
Tammy Adams
Debbie Gillespie
Mei Hung
Azim Lila
Frank Lockhart
Maria Marin
Angela Marley
Lavarnan Mehavarnan
Karen Mootoo
Craig Nicol
Lauri Sue Robertson
Chau Sheung Wong

Pool Members:

Oliva Darwin
Paul Manna
Nathaniel Tok

Invited Guests:

Andrew Falotico, ATU International
Anna Byrd, Health and Safety Coordinator, ATU International

TTC Representatives:

Stephanie Davies, Chief Capital Officer
Lodon Hassan, Divisional Manager, Wheel-Trans Customer Service
Adrienne Isaac, Administrative Assistant, Wheel-Trans
Levenson Lincoln, Assistant Manager, Wheel-Trans Customer Service
David LoPresti, Manager, Contracted Taxi Services, Wheel-Trans
Sneha Madhuri, Communications Advisor, Corporate Communications
Dean Milton, Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Wheel-Trans
Cameron Penman, Head of Wheel-Trans
Jeff Short, Senior Planner – System Accessibility, Strategy & Foresight
Warren Rupnarain, Accessibility Liaison, Diversity
Ross Visconti, Wheel-Trans Project Manager
Stephan Boston, Chief Instructor, Operations Training Centre
Natalie Francis, Manager, Planning and Policy
Marco Iorfida, Scheduling and Policy Specialist
Chrisanne Finnerty, Director, Commission Services
Naina Dewan, Manager of New Technology, Sustainable Innovation
Daryl Kailan, Senior Foreperson, Lakeshore Garage
Andrew Kemp, Joint and Health and Safety Committee
Alexa Kuburi, Innovation Consultant, New Technology and Innovation
Nicholas Dinatolo, Innovation Analyst, New Technology and Innovation
Rohan Sinha, Intake and Early Resolution Officer, Human Rights & Investigations
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 July 31, 2025, Minutes
6. Remarks from TTC Executive
7. Remarks from ACAT Chair
8. Wheel-Trans Transformation Update – Cameron Penman, Head of Wheel-Trans
9. Centennial College Transit Accessibility Challenge – Naina Dewan, New
Technology and Innovation Manager
10. Outstanding Items
11. Deputation: Nil
12. Incoming Correspondence: Nil
13. Subcommittee Reports, Highlights and Updates
- Communications (no meeting)
- Design Review (no meeting)
- Service Planning (no meeting)
- Wheel-Trans Operations
14. Potential renaming of Service Planning
15. Other/New Business
a. Public Forum update – Jeff Short, Senior Planner – System Accessibility
16. Next Meeting – September 25, 2025
17. Adjournment

1. Call to Order/Attendance

Betty Rivington Law, ACAT Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:02 p.m. Attendance was taken.

2. Land Acknowledgement

Sophie Petrillo, ACAT Vice-Chair, read the Land Acknowledgement.

3. Declaration of Conflict of Interest

Nil.

4. Approval of Agenda

Motion to approve the agenda as presented: Maria Marin
Seconded: Angela Marley
Carried: Agenda approved.

5. Review and Approval of July 31, 2025 Minutes

Motion to approve the Minutes of July 31, 2025 as amended: Mei Hung
Seconded: Chau Sheung Wong
Carried: Approved.

6. Remarks from TTC Executive – Stephanie Davies, Chief Capital Officer

Stephanie Davies, Chief Capital Officer, thanked ACAT for their hard work and important changes they help guide to make the system more accessible for all customers. She noted the Rosedale Easier Access elevator project is nearing completion, which will make 59 of 70 TTC stations fully accessible.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

A member asked if the TTC was working on a project for redundant elevators at terminal stations and Stephanie Davies confirmed TTC has plans to review redundant elevators as a next step.

A member suggested having an official opening for the next elevator opening to give the new TTC CEO an opportunity to meet customers and to promote accessible features, as the TTC moves towards full accessibility. Stephanie Davies would take that back to the TTC Executive team.

A member asked for the timeline to have Warden Station completed. Stephanie Davies noted a number of milestones, and shared the Warden elevators were expected to be completed by the end of 2025 and the overall redevelopment work would extend beyond that at least a year.

A member asked if there was an opening date for Line 5 and Stephanie Davies noted that Metrolinx would be releasing that information.

A member asked about the accident that happened recently on Line 5 and asked that any information that could be released be sent to ACAT when available.

7. Remarks from the ACAT Chair

Betty Rivington Law, ACAT Chair, thanked ACAT members for coming to the meeting in person. She noted the ACAT interview panel are reviewing the applications for the 2026 ACAT membership, and that over 100 applications were received.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

For future recruitment, a member suggested that ACAT consider people who live in the City of Toronto but also travel across boundaries to give their input.

8. Wheel-Trans Transformation Update

Cameron Penman, Head of Wheel-Trans, provided an update on the upcoming 50th Anniversary of Wheel-Trans celebration being held on September 6, 2025. He noted it is fully accessible and encouraged members to provide their RSVP.

He also provided an update on the Transformation Program. TTC staff continue to work towards the new Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system, a successful bidder has been selected and when the contract is signed, the name of the successful bidder will be released. The successful contractor for the new Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system will be determined likely in September 2025.

Eligibility re-registrations of Wheel-Trans Legacy customers continue to progress successfully. Almost 700 customers have re-registered in 2025, with under 2,000 active customers remaining. All Accessible Taxis now have “Where Is My Ride” capability, including Beck Accessible Taxis. Sedan vehicles will start being integrated into the system in the coming months.

Cameron Penman shared that Wheel-Trans has received approval for the electric vehicle sedan pilot project, which will allow Wheel-Trans to procure up to 10 electric sedan vehicles to operate as part of the Wheel-Trans fleet. The Request for Proposal is being prepared in collaboration with TTC’s vehicle team and ACAT would be approached for vehicle feedback for the year-long pilot.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

A member asked for the agenda for the 50th Anniversary and Cameron Penman provided some details.

A member raised concerns about the Wheel-Trans app showing inaccurate arrival times, such as displaying “1 minute away” long past the scheduled pickup. Cameron Penman explained this is likely a GPS or vehicle issue and encouraged riders to report the issue to Wheel-Trans Customer Service when it occurs so it can be investigated. Cameron Penman also clarified sudden vehicle changes, for example a change from a Wheel-Trans bus to a taxi, happens when dispatchers reassign trips to reduce delays, though sometimes it still results in late pickups.

A member suggested incorporating this information on the Wheel-Trans mobile app and posting the information online for customers to find. Cameron Penman agreed it would be a good idea and would take this back to Wheel-Trans staff.

A member raised concerns about waiting outside in bad weather and asked if there is a way to be notified when a driver arrives. Cameron Penman explained that riders can opt for a phone alert when the vehicle is about ten minutes away and also use the “Where’s My Ride” feature to track it, and that there is no call at the exact arrival time. Accessibility issues were raised for blind riders, and staff would review how well the system works for customers using screen readers.

A member commented about drivers getting lost and the lack of direct contact with them. Cameron Penman explained there are no current plans for rider-driver communication, but dispatch can use the app’s “Where’s My Position” feature to locate riders, and future updates may improve connection through driver tablets.

A member noted that drivers often struggle to find her building, despite having detailed comments noted in their profile, sometimes driving past her location. Cameron Penman acknowledged the issue and said upcoming system upgrades should help drivers locate passengers more easily.

A member asked if the Wheel-Trans buses and Operators know where the drop off and pick up areas are for the 50th Anniversary and it was confirmed this information has been set up and Operators are aware.

9. Centennial College Transit Accessibility Change

Naina Dewan, New Technology and Innovation Manager, gave a presentation on the collaboration between Centennial College and the TTC. This presentation outlined the TTC/ATU/Centennial College Social Innovation Challenge, which would engage 60 to 80 students across multiple disciplines to develop accessibility-focused ideas for future bus design. ACAT’s role would be to help refine the challenge statements, co-create baseline accessibility data, provide mentorship, and participate in judging to ensure solutions reflect rider needs and lived experiences.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

Committee members discussed the three proposed challenge statements, with some preferring statement one but agreeing that its wording “front door to destination” needed revision to better capture the full rider journey. Naina Dewan highlighted that accessibility challenges start before boarding and extend beyond arrival, suggesting clearer language like “departure point to final destination” or “boarding to deboarding.” Others strongly supported the second statement for its focus on communication and diverse accessibility needs, recommending it be merged with the first statement. Members emphasized the importance of considering future technologies, journey planning, and two-way communication between riders and the system. Finally, the group agreed to reframe the “problem statements” as “innovation challenge statements” and to combine and refine the first two statements into a draft that will be circulated to members for feedback.

10. Outstanding Items:

a. ACAT Manual

ACAT will review the updated manual for approval in Q4 2025.

11. Deputation

Nil.

12. Review of Correspondence

Nil.

13. Subcommittee Reports, Highlights and Updates

Communications Subcommittee (CS)

There was no CS Meeting held in August.

The next meeting was scheduled for September 4, 2025.

Design Review Subcommittee (DRS)

There was no DRS meeting held in August.

The next meeting was scheduled for September 9, 2025.

Service Planning Subcommittee (SPS)

There was no SPS meeting held in August.

The next SPS meeting was scheduled for September 15, 2025.

Wheel-Trans Operations Subcommittee (WTOS)

Lauri Sue Robertson, WTOS Chair, presented the highlights for the meeting that was held on August 13, 2025.

Wheel-Trans continues to gather feedback to update stops and landmarks, with Line 6 stops under review and supervisor vetting planned. Key issues discussed included St. Clair West’s permanent underground stop, Rogers Centre pickup challenges, Scotiabank Arena accessibility concerns, Ford Performance Centre congestion, and Gibson House Museum navigation, with commitments to create landmarks and coordinate with management. July complaints highlighted discourtesy, vehicle operation, and service delivery, and a customer complaint about operator behaviour was addressed following TTC procedure. Staff explained the Late Cancellation Policy requiring customers to notify Wheel-Trans of cancellations four hours before the trip ensures efficient trip reassignment. Exceptions and penalty reversals are handled case-by-case by Wheel-Trans Customer Service. Members also requested improvements for cross-border trips, which staff will explore and report on in future WTOS meetings.

The next WTOS meeting was scheduled for September 10, 2025.

WTOS Meeting Highlights:
• Wheel-Trans is addressing accessibility and pickup challenges at key locations, by creating landmarks and coordinating with management.
• The four-hour late cancellation policy remains in place to ensure efficient trip reassignment, with flexibility for exceptions and point reversals.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

A member suggested that it would help balance out the Wheel-Trans complaints report if TTC staff also included commendations at the monthly meetings. Cameron Penman confirmed this information will be included moving forward.

14. Possible Renaming of the Service Planning Subcommittee

Jeff Short, Senior Planner, System Accessibility, initiated a discussion with ACAT about the possible name change of the Service Planning Subcommittee to the Strategy and Planning Subcommittee, which better reflects the work being done by the Subcommittee.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

Members discussed renaming the Service Planning Subcommittee to better reflect its broadened scope beyond conventional buses. While a member suggested including “conventional transit” for clarity, others emphasized that the subcommittee addresses wider planning issues, including Wheel-Trans, subways, streetcars, accessibility, and city-related matters. Members agreed that “Strategy and Planning Subcommittee” is a more accurate, inclusive title. Final confirmation from senior TTC staff is needed before the change is formalized. The item was referred to staff to complete name change processes and prepare a motion for ACAT approval. The motion would be to change the name of the Service Planning Subcommittee to the Strategy and Planning Subcommittee, which ACAT agreed would make sense.

15. Other/New Business

a. Public Forum Update

Jeff Short reported that the 2025 TTC Public Forum on Accessible Transit will be held on Monday, October 20, 2025, at the MaRS Discovery District at College and University. This location is accessible and has direct TTC access, and Wheel-Trans confirmed the site will work well for staging and for customer pick-ups and drop-offs.

b. Wheel-Trans Stops – Line 5

Angela Marley raised concerns about how Wheel-Trans stops would work at new Line 5 LRT/Subway stations, where some stations will have two different Wheel-Trans pickup/drop-off locations, for example, one stop on the bus platform and another near an accessible entrance. The issue was that having multiple stops at the same station might cause confusion or missed trips if riders and drivers end up at different locations. Angela Marley suggested developing a clear system to be used now and going forward, one similar to how hospitals or malls with multiple entrances are handled, so customers can easily select the right stop and avoid No Shows while still having convenient choices for accessing different subway lines. This item was assigned to WTOS.

c. Land Acknowledgement

A member suggested recording the Land Acknowledgement statement. Levenson Lincoln confirmed TTC staff would look into whether this is a possible option. The ACAT Chair and another member suggested having the Land Acknowledgement statement read by someone at the beginning of a meeting may be more respectful.

15. Next Meeting

Next ACAT General Meeting: Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 1 p.m.

16. Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m. on a motion by Angela Marley.

Cindy Edwards
Recording Secretary