Advocacy groups concerned as TTC fare inspectors, special constables will be equipped with body-worn cameras starting in May
Incidents across the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) could be captured through a new lens as the City of Toronto's TTC board approved the use of body-worn cameras.
Starting in May, 20 special constables, 20 fare inspectors, and 14 special constable vehicles will be equipped with cameras.
In an interview with CTV News Toronto, Angela Gibson, the TTC's interim executive director of fare technology and system stewardship, said the transit agency came up with the policy after a 2017 ombudsman report recommended car cameras to increase transparency.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Many parts of the system already have video surveillance, and Gibson said that, through consultation, the TTC found benefits in giving body-worn cameras to staff.
"What our CCTV cameras don't show is the audio, and now, with body-worn cameras and in-car [cameras], we are able to capture that, and it becomes even greater transparency."
The city's TTC board chair approved the use of the cameras on Thursday. The nine-month pilot program costs $1.243 million. Gibson said that while it will be reviewed after nine months, it already has funds to carry the program forward.
Some groups are expressing concerns: those experiencing homelessness or mental health issues could become targets, whether racism and discrimination will come into play when a fare is being checked, or when exactly cameras will be turned on and off.
"It's not a prevention tool. It is a clean up the mess after the fact tool. That's not where we should be putting our resources and our time and our money," said Anna Willats, a member of the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition.
"The presence of (a) body-worn camera will inevitably and by design capture people in their worst moments, which contributes to the systemic over-surveillance of homeless people," Diana Chan McNally, a front-line worker with people experiencing homelessness, told the TTC board at a meeting Thursday.
Gibson, who oversees the camera policy, said the concerns are valid because many people are aware of the cameras from a police environment.
According to the TTC's policy, a camera must be on at the start of an interaction, with the customer notified, and is only turned off when the interaction has ended.
Gibson also added that the footage is being managed independently of fare inspectors and special constables with the cameras, and the TTC is auditing interactions to see if people are overrepresented.
"We want to be able to check ourselves and use that information to say how can we do better in terms of delivering our services so it's really about accountability to our customer."
Fare inspectors and special constables will rotate using the cameras every six weeks and will start using them at some point in May, along an exact date has not been set.
The TTC reported losing $124 million in fare evasion in 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when provincial fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat with an Amazon return. A week -- and 3 'miracles' -- later, they were on a plane to meet a stranger
The Amazon returns employee wasn't at work the day one of her colleagues at a California warehouse found a small, furry stowaway in a box mailed six days earlier from Utah. But Brandy Hunter got the call anyway.
Dueling protesters clash at UCLA hours after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Avalanche eliminate Winnipeg Jets from playoffs with 6-3 road win
Mikko Rantanen's first two goals of the playoffs propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.