Ontario's transportation ministry says it has “contingency plans” in place if Toronto transit drivers go on strike on Friday.
Metrolinx, which operates GO trains, buses and the UP Express in Toronto and surrounding areas, said it is working on a new system for 12,000 people. Toronto Transit Authority (TTC) workers will strike on Friday morning.
“GO Transit and UP Express will continue to operate normally and our stations and trains will remain open.” Metropolitan Communications The spokesperson said.
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“While we have contingency measures in place to accommodate increased demand as best we can, the TTC is a critical service, carrying nearly 2.5 million riders per day, and GO Transit currently carries 200,000 riders per day. We do anticipate our trains and buses will be busier than usual and ask our riders to plan for extra travel time.”
If the Amalgamated Transit Union and the City of Toronto fail to reach an agreement, approximately 12,000 TTC workers (including bus, streetcar and subway drivers) will strike at 12:01 a.m. Friday.
The strike will cause commuters across Toronto to lose local transit service and could lead to widespread disruption.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria on Tuesday did not say what steps he would ask Metrolinx to take in response to the TTC strike, but he did point to the “capacity” differences that exist between the two companies.
Neither the government nor the opposition would comment on whether a return-to-work bill would be introduced or passed quickly through the legislature if a strike were to take place on Friday.
Negotiations between the two sides are still continuing.
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