Toronto’s incoming mayor Olivia Chow does not have a plan to mitigate and prevent crime on the city’s transit system after a series of violent crimes in recent months, including a stabbing on a TTC train.
Despite waging a contentious, months-long mayoral campaign, Chow had not released a plan to address violent crime in the city, instead focusing on support for renters, improving public transit and action on climate change.
The closest thing the former NDP MP’s platform has as a plan to address violent crime is Chow’s plan to reduce 911 wait times and expand Toronto’s Community Crisis Service – teams of social workers meant to respond to “mental-health emergencies” at the 211 or 911 phone numbers.
The Toronto Community Crisis Service is not a law-enforcement unit and has no connection to the criminal justice system, but is instead meant to respond to drug overdoses and other non-violent emergency situations.
Last week, mayor-elect Chow seemed to be caught off-guard with a question asking her for a reaction to the stabbing at the Eglinton Station subway, which went viral on social media.
Chow gave an aloof answer, half-heartedly throwing around suggestions to mitigate crime on the TTC but ultimately asserting she had not taken a detailed look at Toronto’s crime problem.
“I met with the chair of TTC, John Burnside. And he has talked a lot about what TTC have been doing to provide more safety situation. For example, they have private security guards, they have – looking at ways to have people support like – he talked about social workers in TTC to support people who have different issues,” said a flustered Chow.
“I have not gone into details precisely how we can increase safety in TTC so its a bit too early to answer that question.”
From January to May 2023, major crime occurrences on all Toronto transit systems – the TTC and Go Transit – increased by 24%, up to 220 in the month of May alone.
Last week’s stabbing at the TTC’s Eglinton station also reflects the cyclical nature of crime in Canada, with criminals being convicted of crimes and being released onto the street to re-offend.
Police had charged Moses Lewin, the perpetrator in last week’s vicious stabbing, has been charged with two counts of failing to comply with a release order, indicating that Lewin had been out on bail at the time of the stabbing.
Toronto mayoral candidates Mark Saunders, Anthony Furey and Ana Bailão had all committed to pressuring the federal government into instituting bail reform to fix the “revolving door” system. Chow, on the other hand, has not revealed her position on the matter.
Chow did not respond to True North’s request for comment.
