Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee Focuses on Accessible Transportation Crisis

The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee focused heavily on accessible transportation, hearing repeated concerns about the shortage of wheelchair-accessible on-demand vehicles, long wait times, fragmented booking systems, and limited data on how many licensed vehicles are actually operating. The committee also heard a presentation from the Brain Injury Society of Toronto on barriers faced by people living with brain injuries, and the chair marked Emancipation Month with this year's theme of Black disability justice.

Topics Discussed

1. Chair's report and Emancipation Month

The committee opened with accessibility instructions for in-person and remote participation, including live captioning on WebEx and YouTube. The chair also recognized Emancipation Month, noting that Toronto has done so since 1998 and that since 2019 the city has also proclaimed August as Emancipation Month through the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit. The chair said, "The city of Toronto has proudly recognize emancipation Day since 1998."

The chair highlighted this year's focus on Black disability justice and invited members of the public to attend the annual Black Liberation event at City Hall on July 30.

2. Brain Injury Society of Toronto presentation

Representatives from the Brain Injury Society of Toronto described brain injury as an often "invisible disability" and outlined the barriers people can face in navigating everyday systems. Candace told the committee that people with brain injuries are "often faced with barriers because of the way our systems are built around them," adding that "a noisy environment or a complicated form" can become a serious obstacle.

The organization said it provides peer support, groups, workshops, and transitional planning support for people living with brain injuries.

3. Centralized dispatch for wheelchair-accessible vehicles

Committee members and speakers discussed the city's review of a centralized dispatch system for wheelchair-accessible vehicles-for-hire. Speakers said the current system forces riders to contact multiple providers in hopes of finding an available vehicle.

Omar Herbert told the committee, "Today, people use wheelchair accessible taxis continue to pay significantly longer wait times than other passengers." He said the problem stems in part from the "fragmented nature of the current dispatch system" and argued that a centralized model would allow "the nearest available accessible vehicle to be dispatched regardless of brokerage affiliation."

Staff said recommendations are targeted for early 2027. "Our current target is to complete the analysis and probably most importantly as all of you here, we are targeting towards implementation in Q1 2027," staff told the committee.

Councillor Jamaal Myers moved a motion asking the Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards to report to the first meeting in 2027 on options to improve accessible vehicle-for-hire service, including work with stakeholders such as the Disability Advisory Committee, transportation companies, Uber and Lyft, and a review of fleet size, vehicle type, wait-time standards, and the number of accessible taxi licences in use.

4. Shortage of accessible on-demand vehicles and funding concerns

A major focus of the meeting was the shortage of accessible vehicles available for on-demand service and the city's lack of current operating data.

Councillor Josh Matlow said, "We have 478 licensed, 82 percent of those are under contracts with Wheel-Trans TTC. So the remainder we have is 84 and these are on-demand only. How many of those 84 are on the road? We do not know that."

Staff member Anika said the city cannot say how many accessible taxis are operating at a given time because it does not receive regular data from taxi companies. "Because we are not getting regular data from the taxicab companies, we are not able to tell you from any vehicles on the road at any given time or any given month," she said, adding that staff have recommended mandatory digital meters but that "needs a bylaw change."

Speakers also criticized the city for not moving accessibility funding out the door more quickly. Peter told the committee, "You are sitting on $20 million. Most problems have no money and a big problem to resolve. You have $20 million to resolve a problem. And you are not spending it on the problem."

5. Cross-boundary travel, wait times, and service barriers

Several speakers described the difficulty of arranging accessible trips across Toronto and neighbouring regions, especially for medical appointments and other time-sensitive travel.

Marian Playter said, "People with disabilities should not organize their lives around the limitations of transportation systems. Transportation systems should be designed to support the lives, choices and independence of the people they serve."

In another deputation, Marian described the practical burden of regional travel, saying riders can spend "7 to 8 hours from start to finish" for what should be a one-hour appointment.

Jennifer Conroy said the lack of suitable vehicles can directly affect rider safety: "Because of the size of mine tilts power wheelchair my Wheel-Trans profile mandates that I have buses. I cannot afford a taxi safely." She warned that if Wheel-Trans shifts to a taxi-only model, "it threatens my daily safety and independence."

Speakers repeatedly argued that accessible transportation should be treated as a basic service, not a specialized extra. One speaker told the committee, "Accessible transportation is not a luxury it is what allows people with disabilities to participant equally in society."

Motions

Passed: - Motion by Councillor Jamaal Myers requesting that the Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards report to the first meeting in 2027 on accessible vehicle-for-hire improvements

The motion includes: - consultation with stakeholders, including members of the disability committee and transportation companies such as Uber and Lyft - review of options to increase accessible services, including vehicle type, fleet size, and a mandated wait-time standard - investigation into how many accessible taxi vehicle licences are distributed and in use across the city, including how many vehicles were lost during the pandemic

Attendees

Councillors and members identified in the meeting materials include:

• Councillor Jamaal Myers
• Councillor Josh Matlow
• Councillor Paula Fletcher
• Mayor Olivia Chow