Toronto Transit Commission Easier Access
The Easier Access Program was a plan initiated by the Toronto Transit Commission to improve the accessibility of the subway/rapid transit network. Design standards for accessible stations are developed by TTC staff in consultation with members of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transportation (ACAT) and are used as a guideline for upgrades of existing stations, and for all future stations to be constructed. The end goal of the Easier Access Program is to have all TTC stations accessible by 2025 in order to comply with requirements set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
History
Accessibility at TTC stations was first introduced in Choices for the Future, a 1989 report by the TTC which identified 20 key stations which should be improved and made accessible in order to meet the demand for trips made by people with disabilities. Initially, the Easier Access Program was a commitment to improve subway stations for seniors, blind customers, and other ambulatory disabled people through the installation of way-finding tiles, handrails, and benches. This idea was later expanded with Easier Access II, Phase 2 of the Easier Access Program, to include the retrofitting of the 20 key subway stations and all newly-constructed stations with elevators, accessible fare gates, automatic doors, signage improvements, and wheelchair ramps.[1] All five stations on the Sheppard Subway line were constructed with accessible features that meet the TTC standard for accessibility under the Easier Access II Program.
Easier Access III
The Easier Access III initiative began in 2007 with the goal of making all remaining stations within the rapid transit network accessible. With an anticipated completion of the project by 2020, it would exceed the provincial legislated deadline of 2025 requiring all public services and facilities in Ontario to be accessible.[2]
Due to a reduction of $240 million in the TTC 2014-2023 Capital Budget, Easier Access improvements at 17 stations became unfunded. As a result, completion of the Easier Access III program was deferred from 2020 to 2025. Full funding would need to be restored by 2017 in order make all stations accessible by the 2025 deadline.[3] In the City's 2016 budget, $431 million in funding was committed to the Easier Access Program and accessibility for all stations is slated to be complete in 2024.[4]
In 2016, Line 3 trains underwent refurbishment in order to improve accessibility and accommodate mobility devices as an interim measure. Stations along Line 3 are not included in the Easier Access Program as the line will replaced in the future by the Scarborough Subway Extension.
Stations
As of January 1, 2025, 58 of 70 subway stations are fully accessible.
Prior to the closure of Line 3 in July 2023, Scarborough Centre Station was an accessible rapid transit station.
| Line | Station | Date completed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sheppard West | March 30, 1996[5] | Formerly Downsview Station |
|
Bloor-Yonge | July 22, 1996[5] | |
|
|
Union | July 22, 1996[5] | |
|
|
Queen | April 15, 1997[5] | |
|
|
Spadina | 1997[5] | Line 2 accessible only. |
|
|
Kipling | March 26, 1999[5] | |
|
|
Finch | May 21, 1999[5] | |
|
|
Kennedy | May 28, 1999[5] | |
|
|
St. George | March 26, 1999[5] | |
|
|
Bathurst | November 24, 1999[5] | |
| Scarborough Centre | June 9, 2000[5] | ||
|
|
Queen's Park | April 2, 2002[5] | |
|
|
Davisville | June 18, 2002[5] | |
|
Sheppard-Yonge | November 22, 2002 | |
|
|
Bayview | November 22, 2002 | |
|
|
Bessarion | November 22, 2002 | |
|
|
Leslie | November 22, 2002 | |
|
|
Don Mills | November 22, 2002 | |
|
|
Dundas West | November 24, 2002[5] | |
|
|
Dundas | December 2002[5] | |
|
|
Eglinton | September 10, 2004[5] | |
|
|
Main Street | October 6, 2004[5] | |
|
|
Eglinton West | September 9, 2005[5] | |
|
|
Broadview | January 27, 2006[5] | |
|
|
Jane | April 24, 2006[5] | |
|
|
Osgoode | December 29, 2006[5] | |
|
|
York Mills | February 9, 2007[5] | |
|
|
St. Clair | August 10, 2007[5] | |
|
|
North York Centre | 2009 | |
|
|
Victoria Park | June 2011[6] | |
|
|
St. Andrew | June 2012[7] | |
|
|
Pape | November 2013[8] | |
|
|
Dufferin | November 24, 2014[9] | |
|
|
Lawrence West | December 19, 2014[9] | |
|
|
Ossington | December 2016[10] | |
|
|
St. Clair West | September 2017[11] | |
|
|
Woodbine | September 29, 2017[12] | |
|
|
Downsview Park | December 17, 2017 | |
|
|
Finch West | December 17, 2017 | |
|
|
York University | December 17, 2017 | |
|
|
Pioneer Village | December 17, 2017 | |
|
|
Highway 407 | December 17, 2017 | |
|
|
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre | December 17, 2017 | |
|
|
Coxwell | December 31, 2017[13] | |
|
|
St. Patrick | December 4, 2018[14] | |
|
|
Royal York | December 16, 2019[15] | |
|
|
Wellesley | July 22, 2020[16] | |
|
|
Chester | September 2, 2020[17] | |
|
|
Dupont | September 30, 2020[18] | |
|
|
Runnymede | December 10, 2020[19] | |
|
|
Wilson | December 18, 2020[20] | |
|
|
Bay | December 30, 2020[21] | |
|
|
Keele | July 11, 2021[22] | |
|
|
Sherbourne | December 27, 2021[23] | |
|
|
Yorkdale | December 22, 2021[24] | |
|
|
Lansdowne | December 2022 | |
|
|
Donlands | August 7, 2024[25] | |
|
|
Glencairn | October 1, 2024[26] | |
|
|
Castle Frank | October 15, 2024[27] | |
|
|
Greenwood | Mid-2025 (expected) | |
|
|
High Park | Mid-2025 (expected) | |
|
|
Rosedale | Mid-2025 (expected) | |
|
|
Warden | Mid-2025 (expected) | |
|
|
Christie | Q4 2025 (expected) | |
|
|
Lawrence | Q4 2025 (expected) | |
|
|
Summerhill | Q4 2025 (expected) | |
|
|
College | Mid-2026 (expected) | |
|
|
Museum | Mid-2026 (expected) | |
|
|
Spadina | 2026 (expected) | |
|
|
King | 2026 (expected) | |
|
|
Islington | 2026 (expected) | |
|
|
Old Mill | TBD |
References
- ↑ "Accessible Transit Services Plan Year-End 2003 Status Report". Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ "Accessible Transit Services Plan — 2006 Status Report". Toronto Transit Commission. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ 2014-2018 TTC Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (30 April 2014). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Toronto 2016 Budget, City of Toronto. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 Accessible Transit Services Plan - 2008 Status Report, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ Victoria Park Station Modernization Project, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved on 16 May 2022.
- ↑ St Andrew Station — Elevator Construction, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Pape Station Modernization Project, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved on 16 May 2022.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 2014 Accessibility Objectives — Stations and Facilities, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Ossington Station is TTC’s 35th accessible station (5 January 2017). The Coupler. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ St Clair West Station is TTC’s 36th accessible station (16 September 2017). The Coupler. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Woodbine Station — Easier Access and Second Exit Project, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Coxwell Station is TTC’s 44th accessible station (7 February 2018). TTC Coupler. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ St Patrick Station — Easier Access Program, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Royal York Station — Easier Access Program. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ↑ Robinson, Jaye [@JayeRobinson]. "As #TTC Chair, I’m pleased to announce that the elevators at Wellesley Station were put into service this afternoon - ahead of schedule. Wellesley is the 47th accessible station in the TTC network. For more info, visit: https://ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/..." Twitter, 22 July 2020, https://twitter.com/jayerobinson/status/1286011579553787904
- ↑ Chester Station — Second Exit/Entrance and Easier Access project update. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Dupont Station is accessible — Easier Access Project Update (30 September 2020). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2022
- ↑ Runnymede Station — Easier Access Project, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Wilson Station — Easier Access Program, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Bay Station "Easier Access" Project: Elevator opens: December 30 (28 December 2020). TransitToronto. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Keele becomes 53rd accessible subway station (11 July 2021). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Toronto Transit Commission. Sherbourne Station is the newest TTC subway station to become accessible. Facebook, 27 December 2021, 10:00am. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Yorkdale Station Easier Access Program Project Update, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Donlands Station Second Exit/Entrance Project, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ↑ Easier Access Program - Glencairn Station, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ↑ Castle Frank Station - Easier Access, Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
