Local 113 & Transit Milestones 1921 to 1958
1921
 -The Toronto Transportation Commission is created by Provincial Act in 1920, assumes responsibility for all public transit within city limits. It takes over the large TRC and Civic systems as well as private suburban radial electric railways --a mix of nine disconnected separate fare systems. One fare service with free transfers introduced throughout Toronto. Adult fares rise 40 per cent to 7 cents or 4 ticket for .25 cents.
-TTC inaugurates the first bus route, HUMBERSIDE, in west Toronto Junction area after favourable legal opinion determines TTC's right to operate buses. (Act was not specific)
-First electric switch installed
-575 new steel bodied Peter Witt streetcars and trailers introduced in major modernization program.
1922
 -Operators permitted to wear eye glasses.
-Eglinton Division and Car house open, replacing obsolete Yorkville Division.

Photo on the right shows Eglinton carhouse in 1925.
1924
 -Hillcrest General Repair Shops (Harvey Shop) opens.
-Russell carhouse is condemned and is replaced with new buildings.
1925
 -Davenport Garages opens.
-Toronto Concert band is organized with large representation from Local 113. Band played often at Hanlan's Point summer concerts, Massey Hall and Masonic Temple.
-Motor Coach Department formed in response to rapidly growing charter, interurban and sightseeing services; TTC acquires a Gray Line franchise.
1926
 -First traffic light is installed in Toronto
1927
 -Gray Coach Lines is incorporated as a subsidiary of the TTC to take over responsibility for profitable intercity and special services formerly operated by Motor Coach Department.
1928
-First safety islands erected at car stops on St. Clair route.

Photo of Safety Island on St. Clair in 1928.
1930
 -North Yonge Railways inaugurated, City limits (North Toronto Terminal) to Richmond Hill, replacing unprofitable line south shore of Lake Simcoe. Post war power shortages and worn out equipment and cars force closure in 1948 of the city's last radial line.
1931
 -Dundas Division, at Dundas and Howard Park closes. Most operating employees and rolling stock transferred to Roncesvalles.
-Operators permitted to wear sunglasses.
-Toronto Bus Terminal opens at Bay and Dundas, replacing former open air facility on this site.
1934
 -Electric blast heaters begin to replace coal stoves as part of streetcar rehabilitation program to convert "two-man" cars to "one-man" operation. Before electric heat, the streetcar fleet used 25 to 30 tons of coal daily.
-Amalgamated Association of Street Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America.
1936
 -Gray Coach Lines Sunnyside Bus Terminal opens.
1938
 -Operating employees granted one week's paid vacation.
-Streamliner Presidents Conference Committee streetcars (the PCC or "Red Rocket") are introduced). TTC would ultimately acquire 745 prewar and postwar models giving Toronto the largest PCC fleet in the world.
-Eglinton Garage opens.
1939
 -TTC announces Sept. 1 that men enlisting for war service will have positions open, seniority and pension status retained upon demobilization.
1940
 - TTC Pension Fund Extabished January 1.
- At the end of the first full year of wartime service, TTC operated 29 streetcar lines (including tripper routes) on 266.5 miles of track; the heavy carlines were complemented by 37 route miles of 15 bus routes.
1941
 - First Mobile Supervisor's cab used to monitor "all-night" service due to war effort.
1943
 - Cabs receives two-way radios in 1943.
- Women Operators join the ranks of Motormen and Conductors.
1945
 - First "Necessity Action" (NA) switch installed.
1946
 - Two weeks paid vacation granted Operators after one year's service.
- Toronto voters approve revised rapid transit plan by a 10 - 1 margin. Subways on Yonge and Queen Streets are planned. Construction begins in 1949 on the Yonge project, Union Station to Eglinton.
- City of Toronto passes strong bylaw to regulate and prohibit parking on all downtown streets where streetcar tracks exists.
- Women are laid off as trainmen who enlisted for WWII service return home.
1947
 - Five day work week begins; starting wage is .97 cents an hour. Employees passes introduced, replacing books of "employee tickets" used since 1894.
- LANSDOWNE trolley inaugrated, as the first route in TTC's large post war introduction of the modern trolley bus on mostly former streetcar lines.
- Parkdale Garage opens (formerly Dominion Bridge Co. Plant)
1948
 - First all-electric PCC cars (4300 series) enter service
1949
 - Cost of living bonus first added to regular wage rates.
1950

-New procedure for issuing uniforms adopted.

  • two suits every three years;
  • two pairs of summer trousers every three years;
  • three grey shirts and two maroon ties every year;
  • one heavy weight overcoat every four years;
  • one light weight overcoat every four years;
  • one summer car and one winter cap every three years;
- End of free children's "bathing cars" to Sunnyside Beach, after four decades of service.
- Men enlisting with the Canadian Infantry Brigade Group for service in Korea are afforded the same re-instatement privileges as those taking leave for WWII duty.
1951
 - First TTC fare increase in 30 years; adult cash fares rise from .07 cents to .10 cents; tickets 4 for.25 cents to 3 for .25 cents.
- 4500 series cars, the last group of PCC cars purchased new, enter service; most would see more than 40 years of use, following two major rebuilding programs.
1952
 - Feb 15 is designated a day of mourning on the occasion of King George VI's funeral. In a notice to all employees, management orders a brief cessation of actives: "Promptly at 9 a.m., the power will be shut off for two minutes, and all Commission vehicles must be brought to a standstill and must remain stationary during this period. As soon as their vehicle is stopped trainmen should remove their caps and assume a respectful attitude during the two minute period...."
- 19 - day strike called by Local 113 of the Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America - TTC's first strike since inception in 1921.
1953
 - Transportation Department created through amalgamation of the Traffic, Motor Traffic, Ferry, and Interurban Motor Coach Departments.
- Founding of Metropolitian Toronto by an Act of the Ontario Legislature.
- May 28 is Coronation Day for Queen Elizabeth II. Twp of York provides souvenir free transportation passes to children and students. Large passenger loads are carried to celebrations held on the grounds of the Municipal Building.
1954
 - Under the "Metropolitian Toronto Act," the TTC is renamed Toronto Transit Commission and becomes the sole provider of public transportation within Metro's boundaries. It is empowered to take over four private suburban systems and sets up a four-zone fare system within Metro. The Commission board increases from three to five members, all citzen appointees of the Metro government. TTC introduces new corporate logo, the familiar keystone crest; old monogram is retained as part of the new symbol.
- New "air force" blue-grey uniform issued.
- Yonge Subway opens March 30 at a cost of $67 million, met entirely through farebox revenues. 140 "Gloucester" subway cars are axquired from England. (In 1990, the last of these red "G" cars are retired.)
- Hurricane Hazel strikes Oct. 16, washing out Humber Bridge on Lake Shore Road and damaging others. West end TTC service is severly affected for 12 days until bridge is rebuilt.
1956
 - The number of fare zones is reduced to three.
- From Victoria Day to Labour Day, Operators permitted to remove caps when operating vehicles. long sleeve shirts, still the standard issue, may be rolled up not more than one turn.
- Birchmount Garage opens, replacing former Hollinger Bus Lines Woodbine Garage.
1957
 - Highway Traffic Act amendments bring new scale of fines for traffic offenses; Ignoring stop sign and traffic signal $20 (up from $5): Most other moving violations $10 (up from $3)
-Brink's armoured trucks commence collecting divisional cash. 1958 All revolvers and ammunitions assigned to divisional offices turned into Materials Department for disposal.
1958
 - Pedestrian crosswalk make their debut throughout Metro.
- Bloor-Danforth-University rapid transit plan is approved (Queen Subway proposal is abandoned). Provincial and Metro funding is required for this and all future subway projects.
Click here to see history from 1960 to 1979

Page last updated: Friday, August 01, 2008 at 01:24 PM