Toronto: Starting this Sunday, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) will introduce its fare inspectors under a new title: Provincial Offences Officers. This rebranding effort, accompanied by a new uniform of grey shirts and vests, is a direct response to a 2019 Toronto Auditor General’s report that suggested a more robust inspection presence would deter fare evasion.
The 2019 report revealed that the TTC’s overall fare evasion rate was 5.4 percent in 2018, resulting in a loss of $61 million in fares. However, according to the latest TTC audit in 2023, fare evasion has more than doubled, now costing the transit agency an estimated $140 million annually.
‘The TTC receives a significant City of Toronto operating subsidy but also relies heavily on fares to support its operations,’ stated TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali in a press release. ‘This transition to Provincial Offences Officers is one of several initiatives that we have rolled out recently to encourage fare compliance. We remind customers that when they choose not to pay their fare, it impacts our ability to increase service and keep fare prices low.’
Provincial Offences Officers will continue to enforce fare compliance, issue tickets ranging from $245 to $425, educate riders, and provide customer service. While their appearance and title are changing, their core responsibilities remain.
The TTC’s budget for 2025 has kept fares frozen at 2023 rates, making the recovery of lost revenue from fare evasion even more critical. To address this, the TTC has implemented several strategies, including hiring more fare inspectors and introducing plainclothes fare inspectors.
The TTC’s budget relies significantly on farebox revenue, with approximately 42 percent of its budget coming directly from fares, a proportion notably higher than other public transit agencies in Ontario. This heightened reliance underscores the impact of fare evasion on the TTC’s ability to maintain and expand its services.
