A Message from the Chair

Hello everyone,

I’m excited to be the 2021 Chair of the TTC’s Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT), succeeding our incredible outgoing Chair Mazin Aribi. Through the leadership of previous Chairs and the executive, ACAT has enhanced the conversation on accessible transit across the Greater Toronto Area. I’m incredibly grateful to have worked with all ACAT members for the last five years since I joined the committee in January 2017.

As the incoming Chair, my goals for this year are to:

promote accessible transit throughout the TTC;
strengthen relationships with community groups;
enhance collaboration with municipal and regional departments;
improve channels of communication between the public and ACAT; and
improve internal efficiencies at ACAT.

I will also monitor the progress of the following accessibility initiatives, including but not limited to:

Family of Services
Easier Access Phase 4
The new TTC Website
Wheel-Trans ProMaster Vehicle,
Wheel-Trans Online Booking Site and Reservations system.

To accomplish these goals, I’m supported by an advisory committee comprised of 18 volunteers and TTC staff who work tirelessly to improve the transit system's accessibility. However, we also require assistance from you, the public! Nothing we do would be possible without the support of people with disabilities, seniors, and community members who are vocal and willing to volunteer their time. If you have any feedback, ideas, or suggestions about accessible transit, your travel experience, what works and what doesn't, or a specific TTC initiative, we'd love to hear from you. Kindly contactacat@ttc.ca.

Every day, people with disabilities and ACAT members inspire me with their talents, diversity of thought, and unwavering commitment to never settling for "good enough." Their creativity and innovative approach to accessible transit are truly remarkable.

I'm looking forward to a successful year as ACAT continues to evolve and emerges stronger than ever from the pandemic! Looking forward to working with all of you!

Best,

Igor Samardzic
Chair, Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit