Is the TTC an essential service? A lot of people do depend on it to get to work, school, wherever they need to go - and the city does shut down when no buses are running - but no, fuck no, it is not essential. I’m sick of people thinking the world revolves around them and freaking out any time they are inconvenienced. The fire department, ambulances, and the police are essential. That’s it. No one dies when the TTC stops, everyone just gets a day (or a few) off. What’s the big deal? Remember when there was a movement to make teachers “essential” and stop them from striking, because missing a week of school would jeopardize their futures? Come on… no one is actually hurt by these things. Or maybe I just don’t understand - why do people get so pissed off when there’s a transit strike? These same people were rejoicing during the blackout of 2003, and the subway was stopped then too.

(I’m don’t want to be misunderstood as arguing that transit is not essential for a healthy city, just as teachers or even restaurateurs and artists are also essential for a vibrant community. This is a very different essential from what “essential service” legislation is getting at)